REBUILDING THE AURICULA WITH AN AURICULA AURICULARIA (JEW’S EAR)

Meritxell Domènech Tardà

Escola Montagut, Vilafranca del Penedès

ABSTRACT: My idea for this research came into my mind by looking for “vegetables
that looked like body parts” on internet. When I found a fungus called “Auricula
Auricularia” also known as “Jew’s ear”, I realized that I could use it as a prototype to
rebuild the auricula which is the external part of the ear.

Nowadays there are several diseases that can make malformations on the auricula.
There are quite few methods that can rebuild it in plastic surgery, using material provided
by animals or also using human ribs. I think that if we used Jew’s ear as a material to
rebuild the ear, we could allow the patient to feel less pain, and avoid rejection. Also, it
would be inexpensive compared to current methods and finally more ethical because the
model would be based on a fungus.

HYPOTHESIS: My hypothesis is that if I crated a new way to build up the auricula with
less surgical intervention and with less budget, all the patients could afford the surgery
and also all the process would be more ethical compared to the actual one.

OBJECTIVES: The first step is to make grown the auricula without using any type of
additive plants because these could damage the structure of the fungus or made DNA
mutations. That’s why a company called “Bolet ben fet” helped me by providing the basic
background to grow the Jew’s ear.

The second step is, to decellularize the mushroom by pulling out the fungus
cells and leaving the extracellular matrix. Therefore, these blank spaces will be
fitted with stem cells of the patient, thus there will not be a reason for rejection.

After being decellularized the Auricula Auricularia, will be refill with silicone. At
the end of the process, the scaffold would be ready to be implanted.

METHODOLOGY: In this research I have followed the steps to rebuild the

auricula which is the external part of the ear. The research is divided in four
parts, the first one is to introduce the auricula and explain the process of making
the substrate and how to make it work. To carry out this part of the project a
f.1 NUMBER 1 TOP OF THE
company called “Bolet Ben Fet” has helped me by providing me a background BACKGRAUND WITH MYCELIUM
made by cereals and different types of wood. NUMBER 2: SIDE OF THE
BACKGROUND WITH MYCELIUM
Secondly, there is an introduction of what decellularization is and the materials
that you need to make it at home without using specific laboratory materials.
The process of decellularization consists in taking away all the cells except the
extracellular matrix. This method can be used in bioengineering to make
artificial organs. As decellularizing agents, I first tried with ethanol and acetone.
f.2 RESULTS OF THE PROCESS
Then, I chose bleach which is sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), vitamin C which is OF DECELLULARIZATION WITH
BLEACH 100%
L-ascorbic acid (C6H8O6). Finally, I used hydrochloric acid (HCl).

Later, I improved the design of the experience by injecting silicone liquid inside
the fungus. What I wanted in this experience was to add the part of the ear that
usually is made with cartilage so that they are rigids. Finally, I presented the
theoretical elements explaining how to implant the stem cell in the
decellularized fungus. f.3 AURICULA AURICULARIA
WITH SILICONE

RESULTS:The fact of trying to home make a fungus at home was difficult. The return
were not expected, the Auricula was growing too slowly so I made a few changes in the
environment condition of the fungus, but there weren’t any results. Finally, I managed to
get the Auricula dehydrated and rehydrated with water so I could carry out the following
experiments.

In the decellularization process the vitamin C and the hydrochloric acid didn’t
decellularize all the fungus but the bleach did. Then I added silicone and from the results
of decellularizing with bleach I realized that silicone should be added only in the
extracellular matrix.

CONCLUSTIONS: Working with Auricula Auricularia as a new prototype can make

benefits at all sides, for example at belonging to bioethics because all the process is
natural. Also, it can be the price, that is because nowadays the method of reconstruction
of the auricula is expensive, difficult to carry on and see in the patients eyes a constant
pain. So, what I want to explain with all of this is that using Auricula could be cheaper,
it’d be only one operation instead of four, besides, it would be easier for the doctor to
carry on and less pain for the patient and less probabilities to be rejected.

To sum up, I think that if all the techniques and methods are applied in suitable conditions
this model could be not only a prototype but it could be a new way to make better
differences in the medical industry. Moreover, the fungus proved that can be adapted in
different conditions, apart from the physical structure of it that proves that it is enough
cartilaginous and strong in order to adapt easily.
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