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Grow Your Own Heart Valves

Posted by samzenpus on from the congen-circulatory-sphincters dept.

jcr writes "Medical researchers in Britain have succeeded in growing a heart valve from adult stem cells taken from bone marrow. The research is being reported in the journal of the Royal Society today. Growing a heart value from your own cells means that tissue rejection isn't an issue."

2 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Whole heart next? by jimstapleton · · Score: 4, Informative

    embryonic are omni-potential, instead of just pluripotential.

    Until the last two or three years (if I remember correctly, the time frame may be off), with adult stem cells, they can grow a limited set of tissues only. Even now it takes work to make adult stem cells able to differentiate into any other cells. Embryonic stemm cells however can change into anything, without any modification. They are much easier to work with, and as of a couple of years ago they were the only option.

    I can't remember if they can now make adult stem cells omni-potential, or just increase their potential to add just a few more cell types.

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  2. Re:Tissue Rejection Not an Issue by ambulatorybird · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've had a valve replacement myself, and I believe there are two problems: (1) pig valve: those are basically like leather, and they wear out after 5 years, requiring replacement even in adults. And open heart surgery isn't normally something one wants to have on a regular basis. (2) artificial valve: blood clots form on them, requiring the patient to take anticoagulant drugs for the rest of his life.