ABSTRACT
Organ failure contributes significantly to global morbidity and mortality. Organ transplantation is the first choice for the patient to survive after the onset of organ failure. However, the shortage of human organs, high rate of graft rejection, and severe side effects of immunosuppressive drugs continue to reduce the success of traditional methods of organ transplantation. Artificial organ technology uses organs and devices made in the laboratory to mimic the function of natural organs. It is projected that in the near future artificial organs will totally replace the need for human organs in transplantation. Development of smaller, lighter, and effective artificial organs is in great demand. Nanotechnology, with the treasure of diverse nanomaterials (nanocomposites, nanoparticles, nanosensors, etc.), can be used to improve characteristics, surface modification, and sustained release in artificial organs. Nanotechnology is greatly assisting in making artificial organs more acceptable, longer lasting, and more robust in bio systems. Nanotechnology can be utilized for better immunosuppression, gene delivery, and contrast agent during manufacturing and transplanting artificial organs. This chapter is an attempt to discuss and analyze the difficulties in traditional transplantation, current trends in artificial organ technology, and the important role nanotechnologies are going to play in overall development of artificial organ transplantation.
