The Body Shop - This article is all about replacement parts. However, these parts aren't for a broken car or other machine, these are replacement parts for the human body. Fifteen years ago Joseph Vacanti and Bob Langer pioneered the new process of growing human tissues in a lab. Now, Langer, Vacanti and his brother, along with researchers around the world, look to the day when replacement organs and tissue will be ready for those who need them.
Today, tissue engineered skin is the first "neo-organ" approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This new skin aids burn victims and even patients with severe skin sores or ulcers. It is the hope, that within the next few years, lab-grown cartilage and bone would be produced in labs. However, growing these "neo-organs" isn't the simplest thing in the world. In order for tissues to grow in a lab, scientists must mimic the physical environment in which cells naturally grow. Joseph Vacanti and Bob Langer created a scaffold on which cells can be seeded. This scaffold consists of biodegradable materials that look like spaghetti strands attached together. This scaffoldings provide cells with better access to waste removal and nutrients. Also, the scaffoldings can be molded into any shape or size, which gives anyone a custom grown tissue. Ultimately, it is the hope that in the future, these custom-made organs and tissues would be used as solutions to even the most life-threatening illnesses.
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