A team of scientists at University College London (Jayasinghe et al., 2009) have brought us one step closer to an age where organ production via the use of stem cells is commonplace, using a technique called bio-electrospraying. In bio-electrospraying, two stainless steel needles merge a thick, biodegradable polymer with an embryonic stem cell suspension. Then an electrical current is run through the needles, which causes the cells—along with the polymer—to migrate towards an earthed copper ring. During this rapid migration, they combine to make a thin thread. Several of these thin threads can be woven together, creating a biological fabric. Scanning the threads over a mould could potentially produce three-dimensional forms, including body organs.
This electrospraying technique was tested recently with mouse embryonic stem cells and it was found that the genes within the stem cells survived the electrospraying process. Furthermore, the genes in the polymer/stem cell threads expressed themselves in the same way as in control cells that had not undergone the process.
Synthetic tissues consisting of stem cells are an exciting idea, because rather than using differentiated cells from the target area that requires a transplant, we can create a universal tissue that will take cues from its new environment and thus develop into any necessary type of tissue. Once transplanted, the polymer will biodegrade, leaving the stem cells to form a cohesive living tissue.
Incidentally, this discovery is even more important now that President Barack Obama has removed the barriers limiting funding for embryonic stem cell research.
References:
http://www.rsc.org/publishing/journals/IB/article.asp?doi=b819889f
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16670-stem-cell-fabrics-promise-universal-tissue.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Removing-Barriers-to-Responsible-Scientific-Research-Involving-Human-Stem-Cells/
