Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (35): 9231-9238.doi: 10.12307/2026.300

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Applications and advances of tissue/organ perfusion

Yuan Yue1, Chang Guoxin1, Lin Dingmei1, Mo Zixuan1, Yu Jingjing2, Zhu Yixia2, Zheng Zhaoguang2, 3, Wang Yan1   

  1. 1Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China; 2School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, Guangdong Province, China; 3Foshan Newtopcome Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., Foshan 528000, Guangdong Province, China
  • Received:2025-10-29 Revised:2025-12-20 Online:2026-12-18 Published:2026-04-28
  • Contact: Wang Yan, PhD, Professor, Master’s supervisor, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China
  • About author:Yuan Yue, MS candidate, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Guangdong Provincial Key Research and Development Program, No. 2023ZDZX2058 (to ZZG)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: As critical physiological and functional units, tissue/organ have been utilized in experimental perfusion research for over two centuries. Today, perfusion technology is widely applied in various fields, including the screening of bioactive components in traditional Chinese medicine, pharmacodynamics and mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, pathological mechanisms, local cancer therapy, tissue/organ transplantation, tissue/organ fixation, cell preparation, and metabolite production. 
OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experimental methods, influencing factors, and recent advances in tissue/organ perfusion technology, providing a reference for its practical application.
METHODS: Relevant articles published from inception to September 2025 were retrieved and analyzed from the CNKI and PubMed databases using Chinese search terms “cardiac perfusion, cerebral perfusion, liver perfusion, kidney perfusion, intestinal perfusion, lung perfusion, nerve perfusion, limb perfusion” and English search terms “heart perfusion/cardiac perfusion, brain perfusion, liver perfusion, kidney perfusion, intestinal perfusion, lung perfusion, neural perfusion/nerves perfusion, limb perfusion, forelimb perfusion, hindlimb perfusion, rat, rabbit.” After excluding clinical trials, duplicate and irrelevant articles, a total of 86 articles were selected for comprehensive review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Tissue/organ perfusion technology serves as an essential bridge between cellular experiments and whole-animal studies, providing a controlled platform that allows for precise control of experimental conditions and avoids interference from complex in vivo factors. It holds a vital position in basic and applied research in life sciences. (2) While perfusion protocols share common operational steps across different tissue/organ, their successful application relies on parameter optimization, such as perfusion solution composition and flow rate, tailored to the specific physiological and anatomical characteristics of each organ, reflecting a principle of unified fundamentals with context-specific implementations. (3) Perfusion technology is applied across a wide range of fields, from drug development to pathological mechanism exploration. Its applications are highly targeted; for example, intestinal perfusion is used to study drug absorption, liver perfusion for metabolic research, and kidney perfusion for excretion mechanisms, leveraging the unique physiological functions of each target organ. (4) Perfusion technology continues to evolve, progressing from classical models such as the Langendorff system to more physiologically relevant setups like the working heart model. It is increasingly being integrated with advanced technologies such as transgenic animal models, organ-on-a-chip, and organoids, driving the field toward greater precision and human relevance.

Key words: tissue/organ perfusion, pathological mechanisms, active ingredient screening, pharmacological effects, mechanisms, drug metabolism, tissue/organ transplantation, animal models

CLC Number: