Put that organ in a plastic bag!

Wilder — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:35:55 -0800

Claudia Castillo's new bronchus is the result of stem-cell research. The first hollow tube body part is transplanted with no rejection issues. A lab in Italy stripped the donor trachea of living tissue leaving a collagen matrix. Claudia's stem cells were grown in a Bristol lab, (all 6 million of them) to flesh it out, so to speak. Epithelial cells from her nose & lungs formed the lining. But...... .........the ground-breaking transplant almost didn't happen. Despite Prof Martin Birchall clearing it with EastJet management in advance, when the medical scientist turned up with the organ at the airport, they would not allow him to board. What next? Bone banks are becoming routine, as are Corneal transplants. Prof Birchall thinks we are 20 years off every major hospital having a stem-cell production line facility for many, if not most organs.

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Put that organ in a plastic bag!