Post by Bozur on Aug 19, 2009 18:50:25 GMT -5
Tissue Engineering : Build Your Own Human
dsc.discovery.com — We can rebuild him. We have the technology. Ok, it's not the bionic man, but tissue engineering is changing the face of medicine. It applies the principles of engineering and life sciences to grow bones, cartilage, blood vessels, bladders, and even print organs. What does tissue engineering entail and what does it promise for the future of medicine More…
------
Wide Angle: Build Your Own Human
Discovery Tech explores growing bones, tissue and organs in the lab
Organs could be printed one layer at a time onto "biopaper," as this diagram from the University of Missouri illustrates
We can rebuild him. We have the technology. Ok, it's not the bionic man, but tissue engineering is changing the face of medicine. It applies the principles of engineering and life sciences to grow bones, cartilage, blood vessels, bladders and even print organs. What does tissue engineering entail and what does it promise for the future of medicine? This Wide Angle series on Tissue Engineering will explore those questions and more.
* News: Marine Worm's Glue May Aid Bone Repair
An adhesive inspired by the sandcastle worm's glue could be used to help live bones repair after surgery.
* News: New Artificial Bone Made of Wood
A new procedure to turn blocks of wood into artificial bones has been developed by Italian scientists, who plan to implant them into large animals, and eventually humans.
* Podcast: Retinal Implants to Battle Diabetic Retinopathy
Electrodes implanted in the eye help generate oxygen that's needed in order to help keep the tissue healthy in diabetic patients, whose circulation has been compromised.
* Feature: Synthetic Skin Gets a Second Life
German automation could make engineered skin affordable.
* Top 10: Engineered Body Parts
Scientists are making breakthrough discoveries on how to create artificial body parts, everything from bionic bones to makeshift knees.
* Video: Mouse Grows Human Ear
American scientists successfully produced and attached a human ear to the back of a mouse. Doctors believe similar mold transplants will help humans regrow their own organs.
* Video: Artificial Bones Grow Inside Body
This implant grows a centimeter or two without surgery when the limb is passed through a metal ring.
* Video: Self-Healing Technology
Scientist Kristi Anseth works at the intersection of three fields - engineering, chemistry, and biology -- to design polymers that imitate living tissues, with the goal of helping the body heal itself.
dsc.discovery.com/technology/wide-angle/tissue-engineering.html