Tissue engineering: Growing new organs, and more

photo courtesy of mit.edu

Tissue engineering research has progressed from using tissue for replacement organs and transplants to focusing on creating tissue that can be used to study diseases and develop new drugs for treatments. Scientists at MIT are especially focused on this research. Sangeeta Bhatia, a professor at MIT, has developed a liver tissue, which has allowed her to study malaria and hepatitis c. She has used thin pieces of this liver tissue to implant in mice, which has allowed her to study new possible treatments.

In addition, scientists at MIT are in the process of developing a “human-on-a-chip” system. This would be a system of interconnected tissue that could be modified based on what diseases are being researched. This “human-on-a-chip” system would allow scientists to study multiple diseases at once and test the effects of different drugs on tissues.

Other tissue engineering research includes, research to develop regenerative therapies that would aid in healing wounds and tissue injuries. A professor at MIT, has developed implantable scaffolds that have endothelial cells within them. Endothelial cells are cells that secrete proteins that respond to injury. These cells could be used to help repair damage caused by surgeries, cancer, smoke, and cardiovascular disease. These implantable scaffolds are currently used in clinical trials to help heal blood vessel injuries that are caused by the needles used in dialysis. If these trials are successful, the implantable scaffolds could potentially double the amount of time a person with kidney failure is allowed to be on dialysis.

Lastly, professors at MIT are attempting to develop cardiac tissue that would help heal patients who have lost their voices. The cardiac tissue would include electronic sensors and a synthetic polymer. It would heal people who have lost their voices by restoring the function of their vocal cord. The challenge that arises in developing organs is that it is necessary for the blood vessels in the tissue, when implanted, to connect to the patient’s blood supply. Scientists at MIT are trying to combat this problem by inducing blood vessels to form by trying to grow cells on a nano-patterned surface.

Blog Post Author: Mary Catherine Maher 124-28

Article Citation:
Trafton, Anne. "Tissue Engineering: Growing New Organs, and More." MIT's News Office. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013