Recommended reads: Dux, 3D printed ear brings Vacanti mouse to mind, AMD, more

Eight years ago two new Nature papers broke on the scene reporting supposed STAP cells with one of the senior authors, Charles Vacanti of Harvard, most well known previously for making the so-called “Vacanti mouse” along with his brother Joseph.

The Vacanti mouse had a bioengineered human ear growing on its back.

While STAP cells were debunked including via efforts here on The Niche, the idea of bioengineered ears and other body parts continues to advance. It shows real promise.

Vacanti Mouse
The Vacanti mouse had a human ear growing under the skin.

The original idea was to eventually transplant a lab-grown ear onto a person who had a damaged or missing ear. Bioengineering ears and other body parts is still a hot area of research. A new report covered in the New York Times reports growth of an ear replacement using autologous cells.

I’ll start with that on the recommended reads.

Doctors Transplant Ear of Human Cells, Made by 3-D Printer, NYTIn both cases with the new report and the Vacanti mouse the methods include using an engineered scaffold and cartilage cells. It’s ingenious. Hopefully in the future many different types of bioengineered tissues and organs will become available for the large numbers of injured people or others in need such as due to birth defects or illnesses.

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2 thoughts on “Recommended reads: Dux, 3D printed ear brings Vacanti mouse to mind, AMD, more”

  1. The US is ignoring this “stuff” simply because it doesn’t work ! Anyone who really believes that’s a real human ear on the mouse shown herein will believe other BS too. Time to get real guys. Stem cell engineered body parts aren’t going to ever be realized.

  2. Clinics outside the US offering treatments with UCMSCs (umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells) is increasing in numbers …. why ? and why is the US ignoring the potential benefits as well as not pursuing this type of general health therapy ?
    After doing a recent search on clinical trials.gov it seems that outside the US, the trials are ongoing.

    “Current Status and Perspectives of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy 2020”
    https://www.hindawi.com/journals/sci/2022/9801358/

    Colorectal cancer treatment the latest development: “A cancer trial’s unexpected results, remission in every patient”

    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/05/health/rectal-cancer-checkpoint-inhibitor.html?smid=em-share

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