Some News on Tissue growth front

[Andyrdj]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4871540.stm

Lab grown, functional bladders implanted in patients!

We've all heard similar stuff regarding tissue grown valves - this demonstrates the viability of a large organ.

I assume that the tissues in this bladder must have some blood vessels in them (c.f. the first tissue valves are small enough to be oxygenated by diffusion). This ability could be useful in the near term in growing valves with a better blood supply.

Long term, the team is looking to do kidneys, hearts, the lot!

 

[Christina L]

I saw the story on

I saw the story on

Good Morning America just a few minutes ago. It is miraculous. What an exciting time we live in.

Thanks for posting this and reminding us all to always have hope.

Christina L

 

[RCB]

Call me a skeptic.....

Call me a skeptic.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4871540.stm

Lab grown, functional bladders implanted in patients!

We've all heard similar stuff regarding tissue grown valves - this demonstrates the viability of a large organ.

I assume that the tissues in this bladder must have some blood vessels in them (c.f. the first tissue valves are small enough to be oxygenated by diffusion). This ability could be useful in the near term in growing valves with a better blood supply.

Long term, the team is looking to do kidneys, hearts, the lot!

But I wish these guys would spend more time on research and production
than PR spots. I have been hearing about these "developments" for over 25 years- in the early eighties they promised grow your own valves by the early '90s. In 1996, remember the mouse with a human ear growing under his skin that was shown on TV. We need this stuff and nobody will be gladder than I when it is available to everyone, but please, less PR and more production!

 

[Andyrdj]

Cautious optimist.

Cautious optimist.

I understamd the disappointment, Bob H, - I had hoped for this to be ready by now at the time of my first op - although a day or so out of work to present some actual patient sucesses isn't really out of turn.

We know that tissue grown valves have been implanted in a trial, doing a ross procedure in the pulmonary position has had a degree of success.

The tissue in the valves in that trial were, as I understand it, oxygenated via diffusion through the cells (fairly ok for a small bit of tissue like a valve)

The bladder, however,being a large organ must surely have have been grown with a network of blood vessels and capillaries feeding it. This is an important step to stronger valves, and indeed replacement veins and other blood vessels.

As for the need for more research - one solution may be to vote for whoever sponsors the most research!