Porcine models have many applications in today’s medical world, including research, medical testing, and xenotransplantation. However, in addition to these uses, porcine tissue is becoming more frequently used as a core medical manufacturing material, providing valuable resources to medical manufacturing companies. Because porcine tissue has a very similar structure to human tissue, it’s an ideal choice for medical production. Additionally, porcine tissue suppliers make high-quality porcine models readily available, providing convenience and preventing development bottlenecks. The use of porcine tissue has saved countless lives already, and research and manufacturing continue to progress in this field to open new treatment and medical product opportunities. In this article, we’ll explore five of the most common applications for porcine models in medical manufacturing, diving into the history of porcine tissue use and how it’s helped us advance to where we are today.
Porcine Models in Biomaterial Manufacturing
One of the most common applications of porcine models in medical manufacturing is biomaterial manufacturing – the process of transforming either a natural material (such as porcine tissue) or a synthetic material for use in biological systems. Biomaterial manufacturing is frequently used to produce medical resources, such as medical implants, wound care, tissue growth and regeneration, pharmaceutical products, diagnostic tools, and more. Because of its availability and human compatibility, porcine tissue is a favored choice in biomaterial manufacturing.
Researchers and medical professionals have conducted many studies showing the value of porcine tissue use, including an article published in 2014 in the journal Biomaterials Science. Researchers compared an injectable hydrogel derived from porcine myocardial matrix with an alternative biomaterial product. After an in-depth comparison, porcine tissue was shown to be the preferred resource to use in this application, providing greater stability, availability, ease of processing, and scalability. This is just one example of why porcine models are a favored choice in biomaterial manufacturing applications.
Porcine tissues have many applications in biomaterial manufacturing, in addition to the case study cited above. Porcine models have been used to develop surgical meshes, scaffolds for applications such as hernia repair, wound dressing and treatments, and more. The same benefits hold true in these applications – porcine tissue provides scalability, consistency, traceable sourcing, and availability.
When acquiring porcine tissue for biomaterial manufacturing, it is important to start with high-quality, ethically sourced tissue. In a recently updated guidance document, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stressed the importance of using animal sources that are properly collected, stored, and manufactured. If animal tissues are not controlled, collected, and handled in a careful manner, patients’ lives could be put at risk. It is important to source supplies for biomaterial manufacturing from reputable porcine tissue suppliers.
Porcine Models in Medical Device Manufacturing
In addition to biomaterial manufacturing applications, porcine tissue is frequently used in medical device manufacturing. When producing and testing medical devices, researchers often use porcine models due to their realistic texture and thickness. Porcine skin has comparable permeability to human skin, providing an application to test medical devices such as staples, sutures, surgical meshes, wound dressings, transdermal patches, topical drug delivery systems, and more.
Porcine models are not only used for medical device testing – they are often used in the devices themselves. Medical manufacturers utilize porcine pericardial valves in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) devices, porcine skin in mesh medical devices, porcine intestine for soft-tissue repair and host cell scaffolding, and porcine dermis for tendon and ligament repair. The list goes on as researchers continue to discover new ways to utilize porcine models in medical device manufacturing.
Porcine Models in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Porcine models are not only used in biomaterial manufacturing and medical device manufacturing, but are also frequently used in pharmaceutical manufacturing. In preclinical pharmaceutical toxicology testing, researchers often choose porcine models over dog, monkey, or rodent species. This preference is due to the fact that porcine models more closely match human anatomic and physiological characteristics, including cardiovascular, urinary, and digestive systems. Studies show that porcine metabolic pathways are similar to those of humans, as well as other morphological and physiological characteristics.
In addition to pharmaceutical toxicology testing, porcine sources are also used to make many popular medications. Blood thinners, hormone therapies, and enzymes can all be made with porcine products, and the gelatin used in many vaccines is porcine in origin as well. One challenge in this area is religious prohibitions on pig-derived products, and medical professionals will have to continue to navigate that area with grace and intentionality. However, with alternatives available and informed consent from patients, porcine-based treatment options provide many pharmaceutical applications that help save and improve patients’ lives.
Porcine Models in Preclinical Testing
Medical manufacturing involves many iterations of preclinical testing, and porcine models are a valuable resource in this area as well. Research and development teams often choose porcine models because of their similarities to human anatomy and physiology, providing a helpful testing framework before scaling medical manufacturing. Many regulatory frameworks and the FDA’s Animal Rule encourage animal studies, specifically when human testing would not be ethical or feasible. Porcine models prove very valuable in these applications.
When conducting medical manufacturing testing, it is important to follow guidelines issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other supervisory agencies. As an example to follow, the FDA’s General Considerations for Animal Studies Intended to Evaluate Medical Devices contains recommendations and considerations on personnel, test system monitoring, assessment methods, testing facilities, and more. It is critical to ensure that porcine models are sourced from high-quality, trusted tissue sources to prevent testing issues or invalid results. As with other areas of medical manufacturing, high-quality porcine tissue can prove very valuable in preclinical testing.
Porcine Models in Medical Manufacturing Advancements
Porcine tissue uses have not been exhausted – in fact, in addition to current applications, porcine models are being used for the next generation of medical manufacturing. Bioprinting, an emerging medical manufacturing technique, is used to construct in vitro organ models (laboratory-grown, three-dimensional structures that match human organ specifications for testing and xenotransplantation) using porcine tissue bases. In one study, researchers decellularized whole porcine hearts and used a commercial extrusion bioprinter to create a 1:1 scale model of a human aorta. This accomplishment demonstrates a step into the future of medical manufacturing, opening the door to many life-saving applications.
Establishing a supply chain with traceability, consistency, sterility, and high-quality sourcing will allow these new concepts to become a reality. Porcine model usage is not just a static treatment of the past and present – it paves the way for new, advancing treatments designed to save and improve patients’ lives. Porcine tissue has been used in medical manufacturing for decades, and the applications are only just beginning.
Porcine Model Sourcing for Medical Manufacturing
It is of utmost importance to source high-quality, trusted porcine tissue for biomaterial manufacturing, medical device manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, preclinical testing, and medical manufacturing advancements. Low-quality porcine models will inhibit research, prevent progress, and potentially endanger patients’ lives.
At Tissue Source, our goal is to provide you with high-quality, ethically sourced porcine tissue for medical manufacturing, research, and other applications. We provide clients with customized solutions, traceability and quality assurance, commitment to innovation, and lasting customer relationships. Contact Tissue Source today for your medical manufacturing porcine model needs.