Stem Cells: The Building Blocks of Life
Organs: Available Today
Thanks to stem cell technology, doctors are able to provide patients with a number of transplant organs built with stem cells. Although some of these therapies are not widely performed yet, they have been proven successful in human patients. Three of the currently available therapies are described below.
For those with missing or damaged blood vessels, doctors can construct blood veins using the patient's own stem cells. Recently, in 2014, a team created a blood vessel for a patient by extracting stem cells from the patients' blood. They successfully implanted the blood vessel into the patient, who was missing a blood vessel between the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
A research team headed by Dr. Alexander Seifalian was able to create tear ducts using stem cells havested through non-invasive techniques. Those tear ducts were successfully transplanted into patients.
Doctors have been able to perform transplants of a synthetic or a donor trachea that is coated with the patient's own stem cells. Using the patient's stem cells to coat the donor trachea reduces the possibility of rejection by the immune system. Furthermore, the stem cells allow the transplant trachea to integrate with surrounding tissues.
For those with missing or damaged blood vessels, doctors can construct blood veins using the patient's own stem cells. Recently, in 2014, a team created a blood vessel for a patient by extracting stem cells from the patients' blood. They successfully implanted the blood vessel into the patient, who was missing a blood vessel between the gastrointestinal tract and liver.