Lab-grown organs
Scientists have been working to grow organs and other body parts from stem cells
– cells which can become any type of cell and can be used to repair damaged tissue.
Previously, stem cells are harvested from a patient’s bone marrow
and then used to grow more in a laboratory setting,
but now, researchers have found that they can harvest them from the skin.
This type of treatment has already been done to replace organs like tracheas and bladders,
and now scientists are trying to apply it to heart valves and intestines.
Growing organs from the patient’s own cells will likely eliminate rejection of a transplant
and the need for immune-suppressant drugs after surgery