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Marcus Aurelius
07-03-2013, 01:50 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/07/03/scientists-create-human-liver-from-stem-cells/?test=latestnews




Scientists have for the first time created a functional human liver from stem cells derived from skin and blood and say their success points to a future where much-needed livers and other transplant organs could be made in a laboratory.

While it may take another 10 years before lab-grown livers could be used to treat patients, the Japanese scientists say they now have important proof of concept that paves the way for more ambitious organ-growing experiments.




The Japanese team, based at the Okohama City University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, used iPS cells to make three different cell types that would normally combine in the natural formation of a human liver in a developing embryo - hepatic endoderm cells, mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial cells - and mixed them together to see if they would grow.

They found the cells did grow and began to form three-dimensional structures called "liver buds" - a collection of liver cells with the potential to develop into a full organ. When they transplanted them into mice, the researchers found the human liver buds matured, the human blood vessels connected to the mouse host's blood vessels and they began to perform many of the functions of mature human liver cells.



Takanori Takebe, who led the study, told a teleconference he was so encouraged by the success of this work that he plans similar research on other organs such as the pancreas and lungs.

If this continues to pan out, can you imagine what this means for treatment of organ diseases like cancer? Wow.

Abbey Marie
07-03-2013, 02:53 PM
This seems like HUGE news to me. My FIL died quickly from Pancreatic cancer that like so many cancers spread to his liver. My husband and his siblings therefore may have a genetic predisposition to this horrid and often symptomless-until-it's-too-late disease.

Marcus Aurelius
07-03-2013, 02:58 PM
This seems like HUGE news to me. My FIL died quickly from Pancreatic cancer that like so many cancers spread to his liver. My husband and his siblings therefore may have a genetic predisposition to this horrid and often symptomless-until-it's-too-late disease.

They are also working on what would effectively be an artificial pancreas. A sensor and pump to continually monitor blood sugar, and dose out insulin on a 24/7 basis.

Trigg
07-03-2013, 03:21 PM
I've watched a few shows on this, truly amazing.

Noir
07-06-2013, 02:51 AM
Good job, science ^,^