Growth of Stem Cells in Artificial Organs
By: Chelcy Branon
What is it?
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Stem cell regrowth is a process in which a
patient’s stem cells are taken from their body
and placed on a scaffold to grow an organ in an
InBreath bioreactor.
Succesfully transplanted bladders and a trachea,
looking to grow heart, kidney, pancreas, etc.
Problems
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In the United States there are over 100,000
people waiting for an organ transplant.
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Risk of rejection.
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Risk of injection.
History
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Artificial heart devices were developed in the 1970s.
Stem cell growth for artificial organs has been researched
since the 1970s.
In 2006, a team at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative
Medicine in Pittsburgh successfully transplanted bladders
grown in the lab for children with spina bifida.
First synthetic windpipe was inserted into a patient in 2009.
Dr. Anthony Atala and his research team at Wake Forest
University Medical Center made the first lab-grown bladder.
Current State of Art
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30 people have received the bladder
transplant with a bladder that is grown
in an incubator. Takes about 6 to 8
weeks.
Heart transplants are taking place in
rats to successfully grow an artificial
heart.
June 2011 a successful trachea
transplant was given to patient in
Sweden suffering from cancer.
Wake Forest is the world’s largest
regenerative medicine research center.
Currently trying to grow 22 different
types of tissue: heart valves, muscle
cells, arteries, and even fingers.
Artificial Lung
Current continued…
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Dr. Nicholas Kotov and his lab at the University
of Michigan have grown artificial bone marrow
from stem cells; even antibodies.
May 2012: Removing adult stem cells, breaking
them down into fibroblasts and rerouting them
to grow into whichever tissue is needed.
Saving Tissue
Bill Weir visited Dr. Tom Nelson at a clinic in
Minnesota.
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80% chance he will see his own cardiac
tissue beating outside of his body.
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Took tissue from bone marrow and
rerouted it into growing a heart.
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Used to help future injuries.
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Neo-Bladder: Tengion: a
Biotech company based
outside of Philadelphia.
Created the Neo-bladder,
which has a 5-7 week growth
span. It is currently in
Phase ll testing. After phase
lll, it will become
commercially available.
Artificial pancreas: 23.6
million diabetic sufferers.
Doctors would restore
natural control of blood
glucose by giving insulin.
InBreath bioreactor
Limitations
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All organs are different per person.
Its much harder to grow organs that aren’t
hollow such as kidneys, hearts and livers.
Not all organs can be duplicated depending on
the condition.
Life expectancy.
Future Direction
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Use stem cells to generate a heart.
Making the prosthetics more permanent and to have longer
expectancy.
Better preservation when being transported to lengthen the survival
of the organ.
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Cure for diseases and conditions such as diabetes.
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Growing the cells taking days, not weeks.
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Printing tissue organs. Inkjet cartridges are replaced with human
cell and “smart gel.” Print out layer on top of layer to produce a 3D
organ.
Bibliography
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Burmester, Jochen Ringe, Christian Kaps, Gerd-Rüdiger, and Michael Sittinger. "Stem Cells for Regenerative Medicine: Advances in the
Engineering of Tissues and Organs." SpringerLink. Springer Science+Business Media. Web. 20 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.springerlink.com/content/pbel6dcqayuypy5t/>.
Niklason, Laura E., and Robert Langer. "Prospects for Organ and Tissue Replacement." Opportunities for Medical Research. American
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Saenz, Aaron. "Singularity Hub - Science, Technology, The Future of Mankind." Stem Cells Used to Grow Hearts: Cool New Pics and
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Duke Medicine News and Communications. "Newly-Identified Growth Factor Promotes Stem Cell Growth, Regeneration." DukeHealth.org. 21 Mar. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/newly_identified_growth_factor_promotes_stem_cell_growth_regeneration>.
Vezina, Kenrick. "First Fully Synthetic Organ Transplant Saves Cancer Patient." Technology Review. MIT, 11 Oct. 2012. Web. 11 Oct.
2011. <http://www.technologyreview.com/news/424621/first-fully-synthetic-organ-transplant-saves/>.
Halley, Drew. "Growing Organs in the Lab | Singularity Hub." Growing Organs in the Lab | Singularity Hub. N.p., 6 Aug. 2009. Web. 11
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Monroy, Bill Weir, C. Michael Kim, David Miller, Justin Bare & Mark. "Grow Your Own Organs." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 03 May 2012.
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