NEWS - Grow your own organs, a revolution in transplantation

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Grow Your Own Organs, A Revolution In Transplantation

Main Category: Transplants/Organ Donations News

Article Date: 04 Apr 2006 - 15:00pm (UK)

Scientists at Wake Forest, USA, have implanted bladders grown from patients'

cells. The seven patients had myelomeningocele, a congenital condition which

causes a weak bladder. Several years later their bladder functions have

significantly improved.

You can read about this 'breakthrough' in the medical journal THE LANCET.

Usually, patients with myelomeningocele are treated with reconstructive

surgery - using tissue grafts from part of the small intestine or stomach to

repair the damaged bladder. The problem with that is that it can lead to

complications, such as osteoporosis, raised cancer risk and a higher chance

of developing kidney stones.

In this 'milestone' of medical advance, doctors took a bladder biopsy from

the patients, isolated muscle and urothelial cells and grew them in the lab.

They were then move onto a scaffold, shaped like a bladder. Over a period of

eight weeks they grew into bladders.

They were then attached to the patient's bladder. Five years later they

followed all the seven patients up and found bladder function had

significantly improved. There were none of the complications associated with

the old system of using bowel and stomach tissue.

The researchers said they are now going to try to produce different organs

in the lab, such as hearts and blood vessels.

Head researcher Dr Atala said: " This is one small step in our

ability to go forward in replacing damaged tissues and organs. It is

rewarding when you can see the improved quality of life in these patients.

We wanted to go slowly and carefully and make sure we did it the right way.

This is a small, limited experience, but it has enough follow-up to show us

that tissue engineering is a viable tool that will allow us to tackle

problems of similar magnitude. "

Experts around the world have said that this 'milestone' is probably the

beginning of a revolution in transplantation. The ability to grow your own

organs rather than looking around for a donor.

http://www.thelancet.com

Written by: Christian Nordqvist

Editor: Medical News Today

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=40956

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