Tissue Engineering and Future Frontiers

This chapter presents the current knowledge for best practice within regenerative medicine for hypospadias surgery.

Cultured epithelial cells have long been used for the purpose of covering severe and large burn wounds with in vitro expanded autologous keratinocytes. Here, we report on the clinical trials using autologous urothelial cells within pediatric urology and discuss some of the hurdles that have prevented a broad clinical translation of the tissue engineering techniques.

This chapter also contains a detailed guide on how to manufacture an autologous urethral transplant, from cell harvesting to tissue transplantation, in accordance to a clinical trial for reconstructing the penile neourethra in severe hypospadias. Finally, the chapter summarizes interesting preclinical advances that are paving the path toward clinical translation and a future expansion of regenerative medicine in pediatric urology.