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Human Liver Grown In Lab
British scientists have grown the world's first artificial liver from stem cells.
British scientists have grown the world's first artificial liver from stem cells.
The technique that created the 'mini-liver', the size of a one pence piece, will be developed to create a full-size functioning liver.
And scientists said the breakthrough would one day provide entire organs for transplant.
Newcastle University researchers created the tissue from blood taken from babies' umbilical cords.
The mini organ can be used to test new drugs, preventing disasters such as the recent 'Elephant Man' drug trial.
Using lab-grown liver tissue would also reduce the number of animal experiments.
Within five years, pieces of artificial tissue could be used to repair livers damaged by injury, disease, alcohol abuse and paracetamol overdose.
And then, in just 15 years' time, entire liver transplants could take place using organs grown in a lab.
Colin McGuckin, professor of regenerative medicine at Newcastle University, said: "One hundred million children are born around the world every year - that is 100 million different tissue types.
"With that number of children being born every year, we should be able to find a tissue for me and you and every other person who doesn't have stem cells banked."
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