Human Organs Grown in Lab
Theoretical Physicist Dr. Michio Kaku (author of the non-fiction book Hyperspace) hosts Visions of the Future, premiering this week on the BBC. The show takes a look at the real direction of science and talks with some of the current pioneers. Dr. Kaku offers us a sneak peek into the show and the technology behind it, with a focus on growing human organs:
But one highlight of the trip was a visit to Dr Anthony Atala’s lab in Wake Forest University, North Carolina, where he is unleashing a revolution in medicine: growing entire organs of the body from your own cells.In the future, we might very well have a “human body shop” that can replace ageing and diseased organs at will.
Dr Atala first creates a plastic sponge-like mould of the organ. Then he inserts cells from our own body into the mould, which are then treated so they grow into the scaffolding.
After the organ is fully grown, the plastic scaffolding dissolves, leaving a perfect organ. Already, skin, cartilage, bone, blood vessels, wind pipes, heart valves, ears, and noses have been grown.
Dr Anthony Atala; Tissue engineering a bladder (BBC)
Tissue engineering promises “off the shelf” organs
His lab made headlines last year when he grew the first human bladder, which was inserted into seven patients suffering from deformed bladders.
Dr Atala told me: “What we can foresee in the future is having a ready-made supply of human organs off the shelf that you can simply plug in, as needed.”
This is way cool. We’re witnessing the stuff that used to be science fiction. The implications of such technology could mean longer life spans and a radical change to our way of life. I love Kaku’s question about using “the wisdom of Solomon to control this power.”
I wonder…can organlegging (as envisioned by Larry Niven in his Known Space stories) be far behind? At least growing them artificially solves the problem of the decreasing supply of donors….
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This will probably be an unpopular comment but, as long as we have crazy religious nuts running rampant, we’ll never have “human body shops.” These people will rather you die (and have you “go to hell”) from whatever disease you might have than for them to allow science to make any headway!
Why else would our government prevent things like stem-cell research?!?!!?
hehe, couldn’t agree more.
I love listening to Kaku. He’s a regular on Coast to Coast. Art Bell used to have him on all the time.
transplant
When they perfect growing kidneys, lungs, hearts and livers. That will be the time when people stop dying from diseases that affect those organs. No longer will we have to worry about such horrible things and it makes treating things like cancer so much easier.
I get so excited when I think about all the people that wont have to die waiting for new organs.
yes but you also have to take other things into consideration such as our population growing at a faster speed then ever. and if we form ways for us to live forever we will not over populate the earth, but also face the consiquences of it too. its predicted that in a number of years or so california wont even be connected to the united states anymore. and due to rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and vast erosion in many places in the world maybe it isnt such a good idea to have something that will expand our life span to exponential years. if you want to live forever the only way you’ll end up dying is tragically in a instantly fatal car accident or bombing. and when you do die, the chances that you’ll have any original parts of your body are unlikely. although i think its a great idea that this science can make organ banks and supply everyone with the medical things they need, we would also have to make strict laws enforcing that this science isnt used in anything but despritely needed procedures. i think the ethics of all religions would agree. death is something we all will face in our life time. and thats the way it should be. because without suffering there is no joy. no way to be thankful. if you know nothing bad will happen not only would life be boring, but our outlook on life would shift tremendously. Some of the best things come from tragidys. when faced with a tradigy we have to cope and live through it, making us feel strong, and grateful for the things we do have. i think this new science will be strongly debated, so dont count on living to 300 in the near future.