Monday, March 4, 2013

Beating Heart Cells in a Lab Dish: Creating New Tissue Instead of Transplanting Hearts

Researchers at Vienna University have discovered a new method of creating organic organs. The researchers synthesized a substance which controls the differentiation process. This is a Progenitor cell. This synthesized substance can be used to turn the stem cells into heart cells more efficiently than before. Progenitor cells are more flexible than previous substances, which gives them an advantage. This can be used to create a whole new field of medicine, regeneration.


NOS Themes:

1. Science is collaboritive
2. Science is tentative
3. Role of motivation and Curiosity

Article Link:

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130304105159.htm
Posted by at

6 comments:

  1. JackieMarch 5, 2013 at 8:25 AM

    I found this very interesting and I think it will help many people in the future. An additional article I found about the subject is informative about the different ways to achieve new tissue.
    http://research.stevens.edu/index.php/a-revolutionary-approach-to-tissue-engin

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 1:28 PM

    I think that if this process is able to be spread to other hospitals in the world it can change the lives of many people. This would make it easier for people with heart diseases to get help because they wouldn't have to wait years for a heart transplant. If these cells can really create regeneration it seems like scientists are getting closer to the possibility of being immortal which raises a whole new subject. Would being immortal be a good or bad thing? People might do things without thinking about consequences because they know they can be healed through a progenitor cell.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 6:22 PM

    Its interesting to see how far science has come. When making organic organs we only started out with bladders and windpipes, and now we're making things like livers and hearts!

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/health/research/scientists-make-progress-in-tailor-made-organs.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 6:51 PM

    I personally find it absurd that so many people are against stem cell research because of the amazing things it can do for people. Anyhow, I did some research and I found that out that Scientists at Stanford University have been doing studies on how to remove the cells needed for tissue repair without damaging an embryo. It's an expensive process but I think it will help achieve more funding for stem cell research because this is a much more ethical way of doing it. By using a series of hypodermic extractions of an embryo, the genetic material for tissue formation can be extracted without harming the embryo. Here's the article I read about the extraction procedure, http://genetics.thetech.org/original_news/news23

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 8:01 PM

    Hopefully, this new discovery in the field of Progenitor cells can allow medical professionals to study new methods of repairing organic material. This article is very interesting, and I hope this advancement in stem cell research becomes an alternative to the sometimes unreliable transplant method of new organs or tissue. If efficient repairing stem cells become new options for medical treatment, this discovery will be revolutionary. Here's an article I found about these cells possibly being used to treat neurological diseases: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bendable-needles-developed-to-deliver-stem-cells-into-brains

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oliver KitzerowMay 9, 2013 at 8:13 PM

    Revolutionary discovery, with this no Immunosuppressive will be needed after transplants and there will be no waiting line for the donated organs.
    http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/living-with-an-organ-transplant/immunosuppression

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)