Will humans one day be able to regrow tissue and organs the way a salamander regenerates lost limbs? In a TEDMED Talk posted earlier this year, Anthony Atala reveals that the future has arrived: bioengineers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine are already using smart biomaterials, scaffolds created from donor organs, and stem cells to repair and replace human organs and tissues. Atala explains the process, including use of cutting-edge medical technology like body-temperature bioreactors and desktop printers stocked with human cells that can “print” new organs.
Atala reminds of us the stakes: as medicine is keeping us alive longer, there’s a growing organ shortage; every thirty seconds a patient dies of a disease that could have been prevented by tissue regeneration. There has been much recent media coverage of regenerative medicine innovations that are potentially exciting, but still in early stages of development. Atala’s Wake Forest lab is already changing lives by providing patients with new bladders, and is far along in the development of other tissues and organs.
Many challenges remain, however. Atala explains that some of the most complex and difficult organs to regenerate are the solid vascularized organs like the heart. Though these replacement organs are still in the experimental stage, great progress is being made towards human trials. (To watch Atala’s talk, you can visit the MedHealthWorld home page and access the video from the Innovation Showcase box on the right.)
Ms. Graham is a writer and editor with a current focus on health and wellness. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Erin Monda