Researchers from Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL reported successful replacement of a circumferential esophageal segment in growing pig models using a decellularized donor scaffold repopulated with autologous myogenic precursors and fibroblasts. The Nature Biotechnology paper described a 2.5‑cm graft that achieved progressive neuromuscular regeneration, vascularization, and restoration of peristalsis without immunosuppression; 63% of animals survived to a six‑month endpoint with oral feeding and manageable morbidity. The work models long‑gap esophageal atresia repair and combines bioreactor conditioning, intraluminal stenting, and surgical vascular wraps to support integration.