Breakthroughs In Medicine

[Ric.ror]

I seem to remember seeing - quite a few years ago - that it may become possible to take cells from an organ in he body and regrow them, so, for example, a number of cells could be taken from a lung - transplanted on to a mouse (i think it was) and another lung would grow

Now did I imagine that?

[Sqad]

Ric.......not my field I'm afraid but it is more precises than you describe affecting mainly the "re-educating of stem cells.
These "stem cells" can be mixed with a "broth" in the test tube and made to grow into many organ cells, e.g liver etc and transplanted into the identical organ of the host. Seen in stem cells that have been taken from a human and transplanted into a kidney, heart or liver.

These educated stem cells can be taken from any part of the host, e.g skin or blood and guided to form the cells of any organ which can then be re-implanted in the host.

Sorry about my non-scientific language, but that ids how i see it, but i am sure that some ABer with more scientific knowledge will assist.

[Ric.ror]

So, in theory Sqad, a missing limb could be replaced
And it could help in a case of cystic fibrosis?

[Sqad]

Ric.......yepp! and the search is on at this very moment.

[Ric.ror]

Thank you Sqad
Exciting times and hope for lot of people

[Zacs-Master]

This, to me, is even more remarkable - 'printing' a kidney:

Following this line of research, researchers have designed a printer that can print kidney cells -- and the biomaterials to hold cells together

http://www.wakehealth.edu/Research/WFIRM/Research/Engineering-A-Kidney.htm