Scientists Grow Human Heart Using Stem Cells

Nearly 4,000 Americans await heart transplants every year but only 2,000 receive hearts. The rest obviously pass away. 

Even if a patient receives heart, various complications arise in his body. The autoimmune reaction may result in damaging the new heart tissues caused by body’s own cells. 

For finding a solution to this, scientists are trying to create organs in their laboratory using the patient’s own body cells. And the good news is, they have done it.

Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School have achieved this

Source = Scitechdaily

They have made another step to creating synthetic human heart using adult stem cells.

Only skin cells were used for creation of this heart

Source = Popsci

Human adult skin cells were used for the regeneration of this functional human heart. It can be very useful for patients diagnosed with heart failure. The study has recently been published in the Circulation Research Journal.

Earlier they used mice as donors

Source = Softpedia

The experiment didn’t work out. They rejected 73 donor hearts. They thought to try this with a new technique using adult skin cells.

They changed RNA pattern of the skin cells

Source = Sciencenews

They modified RNA of adult skin cells and turned them into pluripotent stem cells. These cells can take the shape of any human cell in any organ in the body.  

Then they infused two variants of cardiac cells

Source = Nydailynews

A nutrient solution was given to the infusion of stem cells and cardiac cells for 2 weeks. An immature structure of human cells had started forming. 

Heart was given electric shocks

Source = Globalstemcells

Electric shocks were given to test the regular rhythm of heart. 

Further modifications are in process

Source = Imperial.ac

Despite being the structure ready, scientists are not sure about its functionality. They are making further changes to it. 

But the good news is

Source = Futureofstemcells

If the technique becomes successful, it would be a revolutionary achievement.