CHAPTER 6. Immune Responses to Decellularized Matrices

Host responses to decellularized matrices are derived from an intricate interplay between the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Although the process by which a decellularized matrix is created results in the elimination of most immunogenic compounds, what remains in the scaffold has the potential to trigger both innate and adaptive immune responses, in addition to the initial inflammatory response to the implantation procedure. Such responses can contribute to either injurious or protective states. This review describes and characterizes the immune responses that modulate the immunogenicity of decellularized matrices implanted to the circulatory system.