Scientists have been using stem cells to treat cancer, metabolic disorders, and blood disorders for many years, saving thousands of lives. Exciting new research breakthroughs suggest that they may soon be using stem cells to grow new organs for transplant patients.
Research published by scientists from Australia’s Monash University shares one of the most recent breakthroughs in the stem cell field. The researchers managed to identify an important stem cell protein called Meox1.
This unique protein has the ability to direct muscle fibre growth in zebrafish. The researchers believe that identifying Meox1 will help them grow new heart cells for heart transplants.
As Dr. Peter Currie, a professor of regenerative medicine at Monash University, explains: “My lab is exploring one of last frontiers of developmental biology – how organ growth is regulated by stem cells. If we’re ever going to grow complete organs in the laboratory or directly in a patient’s body, we have to know how to grow them properly.”
The findings are extremely important because there is a worldwide shortage of donor organs. Finding a compatible donor organ can also be difficult, particularly for heart transplants. If the organ is not compatible, the recipient’s body will reject it.
If the research reaches fruition, patients with organ failure will be able to simply grow a new organ from their own stem cells. Because the new organ is made from their own cells, the body will not reject it.
Dr. Currie suggests that the findings are an important breakthrough in regenerative medicine and doctors will be using stem cells to grow organs sooner than people expect. According to Dr. Currie: “Prior to our work in this field, we didn’t even know that these growth-specific stem cells existed or how they were used,” he continued, “Just knowing that they exist leads us to the possibility of orchestrating them, controlling them, or reactivating them to regrow damaged tissue.”
Source: Scientists Closer To Growing Replacement Hearts Using Stem Cells
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