A photo from open sources
Using stem cells, world scientists are growing more complex organs, sometimes even absolutely functional. Recently specialists managed to get a living human heart, however, reduced in size.
It should be noted that scientists did something similar before, however, this time they obtained absolute control over the cellular structure of a muscle organ. In fact, the authors of the project got a full miniature copy of the heart, which can be used for various studies, for example, pharmacological or medical.
Specialists used Petri dishes with special circular grooves at the bottom. They were seeded taken from human skin induced stem cells and signaling proteins, stimulating the development of the heart. Two weeks later from the cells a flat base formed, then a three-dimensional muscle structure – tiny cardiac chambers.
In order to demonstrate opened thanks to this scientific breakthrough prospects, scientists artificially impacted heart obtained by thalidomide – a notorious drug, which was used as a sleeping pill at the turn of the fifties and the sixties of the last century. Being taken pregnant by women, thalidomide led to the birth of about twelve thousand children with various deformities.
As expected, a dangerous artificial heart drug responded with significant developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, half a century ago, such studies were pure fantasy. If if stem cells were actively used even then, prevent the tragedy with the birth of sick children, five thousand of who survived and grew up with disabilities.
