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Patients receive organs grown in the lab The Australian \|\| April 07, 2006 [KDR: This was seven years ago! I wonder what they have been able to grow since then.] ENTIRE human organs grown in the laboratory have been successfully transplanted for the first time, paving the way for a new era of "spare part" medicine. Seven people suffering from a serious bladder condition received replacement organs engineered by a team of US scientists using the patients' own cells. The tissue was created by taking a small sample of bladder from a patient and growing muscle and bladder cells in a nutrient bath. The cells were then encouraged to grow over a biodegradable bladder-shaped scaffold made of collagen. After a further two months, the full organ had formed, ready for transplantation. Scientists yesterday reported the long-term success of the operation, after assessment of the patients' bowel and renal function. The results, published online by The Lancet, show for the first time the possibility of transplanting entire engineered organs, which scientists hope may one day help solve the shortage of donor hearts, livers and kidneys. Researchers have previously grown and transplanted skin, heart valves, islet cells and bone samples, but not on the scale of an entire bladder. Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com Anthony Atala, the director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, North Carolina, described the team's work as "one small step in our ability to go forward in replacing damaged tissues and organs". The study involved patients aged between four and 19 who had poor bladder function because of a congenital birth defect. Their bladders were not pliable and the high pressures risked causing serious damage to their kidneys. They had suffered incontinence as often as every 30 minutes. The bladders were grown from the patients' own cells, so there was no risk of rejection, while the bladders showed improved function over time. Some of the patients have now been followed for more than seven years. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Patients receive organs grown in the lab

The Australian || April 07, 2006

[KDR: This was seven years ago! I wonder what they have been able to grow since then.]

ENTIRE human organs grown in the laboratory have been successfully transplanted for the first time, paving the way for a new era of "spare part" medicine.

Seven people suffering from a serious bladder condition received replacement organs engineered by a team of US scientists using the patients' own cells.

The tissue was created by taking a small sample of bladder from a patient and growing muscle and bladder cells in a nutrient bath. The cells were then encouraged to grow over a biodegradable bladder-shaped scaffold made of collagen. After a further two months, the full organ had formed, ready for transplantation.

Scientists yesterday reported the long-term success of the operation, after assessment of the patients' bowel and renal function. The results, published online by The Lancet, show for the first time the possibility of transplanting entire engineered organs, which scientists hope may one day help solve the shortage of donor hearts, livers and kidneys.

Researchers have previously grown and transplanted skin, heart valves, islet cells and bone samples, but not on the scale of an entire bladder.

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

Anthony Atala, the director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, North Carolina, described the team's work as "one small step in our ability to go forward in replacing damaged tissues and organs".

The study involved patients aged between four and 19 who had poor bladder function because of a congenital birth defect.

Their bladders were not pliable and the high pressures risked causing serious damage to their kidneys.

They had suffered incontinence as often as every 30 minutes.

The bladders were grown from the patients' own cells, so there was no risk of rejection, while the bladders showed improved function over time. Some of the patients have now been followed for more than seven years.

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