Dennis Hollingsworth

400 YEARS OLD

I think I'm going to live... hmmmmmm... about 400 years or so if we keep going at this rate:

Described as a 'Eureka moment' by the Newcastle University researchers, the tissue was created from blood taken from babies' umbilical cords just a few minutes after birth.

As it stands, the mini organ can be used to test new drugs, preventing disasters such as the recent 'Elephant Man' drug trial. Using lab-grown liver tissue would also reduce the number of animal experiments.

Within five years, pieces of artificial tissue could be used to repair livers damaged by injury, disease, alcohol abuse and paracetamol overdose.

And then, in just 15 years' time, entire liver transplants could take place using organs grown in a lab.

Sometime when I hit 120, they'll be able to change out all the internal organs for a 100 year refit. Arthoscopically. Or maybe stem cell nano submarines introduced by an inhaler.

Posted by Dennis at October 30, 2006 11:28 PM