By Bill Freeman
Researchers from Aachen Technical College in Germany say that they are moving closer to their goal of being able to grow a new bladder from tissue taken from the patient’s small intestine. To grow the bladder the researchers remove a small amount of tissue from the small intestine, strip off its mucosal layer, and cover it with tissue cultured from the patient’s skin cells and grown on a matrix scaffold made from bovine collagen.
Researchers from Aachen Technical College in Germany say that they are moving closer to their goal of being able to grow a new bladder from tissue taken from the patient’s small intestine. To grow the bladder the researchers remove a small amount of tissue from the small intestine, strip off its mucosal layer, and cover it with tissue cultured from the patient’s skin cells and grown on a matrix scaffold made from bovine collagen. Recent trials of the technique on pigs proved successful and the team are ready to begin testing on humans, once they receive the green light from the necessary authorities. Study leader, tissue engineer Dr Bernhard Brehmer estimates that he will grow and implant his first complete human bladder “in 2 or 3 years.”
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 22nd July 2002