Scientist create human kidneys from stem cells
Scientists at Edinburgh University have used human amniotic fluid and animal fetal cells to create a functioning human kidney available for transplant. The technique is still under development and untested at this point, but the researchers are optimistic the kidneys grown in the lab will develop into full-size functional kidneys when transplanted into a human.
"Physiologist Jamie Davies, a professor of experimental anatomy at Edinburgh University, said the technology could be ready for use on humans in around 10 years."
The technique eliminates the threat of rejection by using the patient's own stem cells to develop the organ. This would remove the need for the patient to take powerful immunosuppressants after the transplant.
In the near future, the research team hopes that doctors can collect the amniotic fluid that surrounds the embryo in the womb when the baby is born. The fluid will then be frozen and stored for many years until it is needed. If that person then develops kidney disease at some point in their life, the fluid can be used to make a functioning kidney without the risk of rejection.
Another exciting aspect of this research is, while it's being tested to develop into a kidney by this team, the amniotic fluid that is stored might also be able to develop into other organs, using proper methods. And given the complexity of a kidney, it is not far fetched to believe that other organs can be grown using amniotic fluid. This is an incredibly exciting development not just for humans yet to be born who will someday have a freezer full of stem cells able to develop into their own organs, but for everyone else as this will reduce the number of people on future organ transplant waiting lists. So while humans alive now won't have a plethora of their own organs available for transplant in case they need them, they will have better chances of receiving organ transplants with the younger generations having their own source of organs.
Link:
Scientist create human kidneys from stem cells
"Physiologist Jamie Davies, a professor of experimental anatomy at Edinburgh University, said the technology could be ready for use on humans in around 10 years."
The technique eliminates the threat of rejection by using the patient's own stem cells to develop the organ. This would remove the need for the patient to take powerful immunosuppressants after the transplant.
In the near future, the research team hopes that doctors can collect the amniotic fluid that surrounds the embryo in the womb when the baby is born. The fluid will then be frozen and stored for many years until it is needed. If that person then develops kidney disease at some point in their life, the fluid can be used to make a functioning kidney without the risk of rejection.
Another exciting aspect of this research is, while it's being tested to develop into a kidney by this team, the amniotic fluid that is stored might also be able to develop into other organs, using proper methods. And given the complexity of a kidney, it is not far fetched to believe that other organs can be grown using amniotic fluid. This is an incredibly exciting development not just for humans yet to be born who will someday have a freezer full of stem cells able to develop into their own organs, but for everyone else as this will reduce the number of people on future organ transplant waiting lists. So while humans alive now won't have a plethora of their own organs available for transplant in case they need them, they will have better chances of receiving organ transplants with the younger generations having their own source of organs.
Link:
Scientist create human kidneys from stem cells
posted by Ben Palmer at 12:11 PM
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