Researchers Grow Functioning Human Liver Tissue from Induced Pluripotent Stem CellsThe team's liver was grown from human skin cells reprogrammed to an embryo-like state and placed atop growth plates in a specially designed medium. Nine days later, the cells were expressing biomarkers indicative of maturing liver cells known as hepatocytes. With careful timing (informed by hundreds of trials) the team then introduced two more cell types that help recreate organ-like functions, including endothelial cells that line blood vessels.
Two days after that, the cells had assembled themselves into a 3-D, 5-millimeter-long tissue that mimicked early stage liver development. Though lacking bile ducts and not organized in exactly the same neat way natural hepatocytes organize themselves, the tissue did possess functional blood vessels that worked when the tissue was placed under the skin of a mouse. It was also able to metabolize some drugs that mouse livers cannot process but that human livers can.
By this measure, the team calls their tissue the first reported creation of a functioning human organ with working vasculature from pluripotent stem cells.
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A close friend of mine died from cancer-related liver failure about 8 years ago. I'm sad these developments were too late for him, but I'm happy that the death sentence that comes with liver failure might be averted for others in my lifetime.
Wow. I'm extra-sorry to read that because I already made light of it (below). I agree with all of your sentiments.
Okay, so where just replacement lungs away from the full Tom Waits. Excellent.
Wow. s,(w)h(e)(re),\1\2'\3,
(Yeah, I know "regex blah blah another problem".)
Lungs found on South L.A. sidewalk are from animal, official says.
I do not think that those are the replacement lungs I am (or, probably, Tom Waits is) looking for.
We're getting closer to replacement lungs
Now this is news I can drink to.