Prospective research

Scientists hope, in the future, these works will be applied in practice, giving hope to patients.

Create complete human liver in the laboratory

Creating parts or parts of human organs is a miracle that not only stem cells can do. Recently, American scientists have successfully developed a miniature human liver in the laboratory . This result opened up the prospect of finding a suitable source of organ replacement to cure patients who need organ transplants.

Professor Mark Thursz - liver specialist at St Mary's Hospital - London and his colleagues appreciated the trial and said: The success of this test has brought hope to patients with hepatitis. C.

Image of a complete liver (left) and a reduced liver
created from cells (right).

The team of American scientists at the University of North Carolina created this liver by transplanting a volunteer's cell into a collagen film taken from the animal's liver. After completing the development of the liver, this collagen layer will be removed and left in shape, the structure of a complete liver.

In their experiments, scientists took liver cells from a healthy person, then raised these cells by providing regular nutrition and oxygen to the liver. About 1 week later, the liver has developed and can function as a normal liver function. The doctors' next job is to put this liver on a test animal to see if artificial liver can replace the function of normal liver.

The process of nourishing an artificial liver in the laboratory
with nutrient supply tubes and oxygen.

Scientists say it takes a few years to be able to bring this technology from a laboratory to a technology used in hospitals.

The problem is how to develop replaceable liver that can be minimized when transplanting into the body.

Successful manufacturing of artificial bones

Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology have just succeeded in stimulating bone formation in the laboratory. The structure of this artificial bone consists of collagen fibers, which contain calcium phos-phosphorus nanocrystals. TS's research team. Bico Sommerdijk has directly developed this artificial bone for the purpose of replacing bone in the case of patients with broken bones who cannot heal or in elderly people who have difficulty breaking bones. Love of TS. Sommerdijk has won the Vici Scientific Prize of the Dutch Scientific Association for the cost of research activities up to 1.5 million uero within 5 years.

Red blood cells

Turn skin cells into blood cells

In order to obtain blood, in addition to waiting for blood donation, the patient has almost no other chance. However, in the not too distant future, this will no longer be a problem of such concern. Recent research by scientists from the Cancer and Stem Cell Research Institute of McMaster University - Canada has found a way to convert skin cells into blood cells. This approach is much easier than trying to create stem cells, then developing them into blood cells. In their experiments, Canadian scientists have found a growth stimulus (a factor that promotes cell division and survival). These factors play an important role in structuring, forming cells. In the experiment, the team of TS scientists. Bhatia has impacted on these cell growth triggers, which directly reprogram a normal skin cell and transform the structure into the structure of a blood cell.

In this experiment, all types of skin cells from young people to adults were tested for the transformation and release of blood cells of the corresponding age. Experts hope, after successful tests, this work will be used to produce alternative blood in 2012.