Featured paper: A Multimodal Approach to Quantify Chondrocyte Viability for Airway Tissue Engineering

What if we could grow replacement windpipes in a lab and keep them alive until patients need them? In this episode, we explore groundbreaking tissue engineering research that's bringing us closer to solving one of medicine's toughest challenges: replacing damaged tracheas. Discover why partially decellularized grafts work like "old houses with the furniture removed but the frame intact," how special cartilage cells called chondrocytes act as a 24/7 maintenance crew, and why keeping these cells alive is critical to preventing grafts from turning into brittle bone. We dive into the science of biobanking at -80°C versus standard freezing, explore the "glow-in-the-dark" microscope tests that reveal which cells are thriving, and unpack how CT scans can now monitor lab-grown windpipes in real-time without surgery. Join us as we investigate how this multimodal approach combining cutting-edge imaging with cryopreservation is engineering the future of human airways, one living straw at a time.*Disclaimer: This content was generated by NotebookLM and has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr. Tram.*