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Sunday, 14 August 2011

We heart stem cells


 Recently, an article entitled "A*Star scientists closer to growing human heart from stem cells" was published in the Straits Times.

In this paper, researchers from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology  
1) Decellularized mouse heart: i.e. removed the cells from the mouse heart, leaving only the scaffold
2) Seeded the scaffold with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and heart progenitors derived from hESC
3) Implanted the heart back into the mouse

They found that the cells attached to the scaffold and developed into heart cells and blood vessel cells, both important for proper functioning of the heart.


However, this discovery is not entirely novel. In 2008, researchers from University of Minnesota already showed that the scaffold from decellularized heart supports development of heart progenitors into an adult heart.


Read the news release here

Novel or not, both studies deserve the spotlight as they remind us that building an organ with stem cells may not be that far-fetched an idea after all.

Satirical cartoon of China harvesting organs from Falun Gong prisoners. Source: http://nicholsoncartoons.com.au/falun-gong-organ-harvesting-china-550.html



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