Researchers Create Beating Heart In Lab

Sunday Scientist writes "Minnesota researchers have created a beating heart in the laboratory. In a process called whole organ decellularization, they grew functioning heart tissue by using dead rat and pig hearts as a sort of flesh matrix, and reseeding them with a mixture of live cells. The goal is to grow replacement parts, using their own stem cells, for people born with defective tickers or experiencing heart failure."

Wizard of Oz

[hack slash]

Tin Man will be so pleased.

choices, choices...

[smokejive]

Now the big question is, do I go for the replacement legs that give me more speed and let me jump higher, or do I become more stealthy. Choices, choices...

Install several in parallel

[MonkeyBoyo]

If you can grow replacement hears, then you can grow more than one.

Think of the gains of installing 2 in parallel, or even 4.

Though it would probably be nice to get their beating synchronized.

Cool, but...

[owlnation]

...it's pronounced "Fronkensteen".

You See,My Stethoscope Is Bobbing to The Throbbing

[Quiet_Desperation]

...Of Your Heart.

It Goes Boom Boody-Boom Boody-Boom Boody-Boom, Boody-Boom Boody-Boom Boody-Boom-Boom-Boom

Well, Goodness Gracious Me! ...

Next up on OldTyme Radio overnight, Dr. Hanny Lector and the Cannibals with their top hit, Liver & Chianti. Hope you like it...

Re:Interesting engineering opportunities

[Fred_A]

Nearly every sport has a doping and non-doping league already. The problem is, people will only pay to see the non-doping leagues at the moment. Which means all the money is in the non-doping league. Which means all the dopers try to cheat and compete in the non-doping league. This problem seems unlikely to ever go away.

It seemed to me it was the other way around. But then I don't really follow the sports.

Re:Install several in parallel

[qw0ntum]

Imagine a Beowulf cluster of those things! ...sorry.

Oblig. Cosby

[HiggsBison]

It has escaped from the laboratory, and is heading for your house.

You should consider smearing Jello on your kitchen floor and setting fire to your sofa.

Can I buy one...

[Alsee]

...for my ex-girlfriend?
I don't think she ever had one.

-

not to rain on the parade

[circletimessquare]

but i remember details from high school biology, where you could put heart cells next to each other on a petri dish, and they would synch their beats

so the announcement seems like there is this major advance, heart cells beating in tandem, shaped like a heart. but it doesn't seem to take that much more technical acumen than what has been around for a while, as heart cells will naturally synch up

so they put the cells and grew them in a heart shaped matrix. then biorhythms and mother nature took over

they've been doing that with skin cells for awhile

again, not to rain on the parade, but i think the technical leap implied here is being overstated. it's good news nonetheless, and i cheer it

Re:Interesting engineering opportunities

[Badgam]

Honestly, it doesn't bother me if this leads to greater disparity. The fact is that it will benefit me, and that is all that ultimately matters. I'm going to have the skills, the money, and the knowledge to take advantage of this new technology and use it to increase my competitive edge, and although this may sound harsh I really don't give a damn if its unfair to everyone else. Fairness is nothing but a myth; life has never been fair and it is neither possible nor desirable to attempt to create it. Through my work and my hard effort I make myself better...that's really all I'd be doing.

Horse cock synthesis

[Anonymous Coward]

Couldn't they do the same thing with a monster horse cock - rebuild it using your own stem cells and transplant it onto you? It'd sure as hell surprise the wife.

Re:Can I buy one...

[NeuroManson]

Valentine's day is just a month away, get started now and you could have one Hell of a Valentines day gift. Especially if you make it to pump chocolate syrup.