OffTopic .. Only a Little .. Inkjet Nozzles To Spray Live Human Cells Onto Patients?
Related News: Bone and Cartilage, Stem Cells and SkinScientists at the University of Manchester in England working to develop a technique in which inkjet nozzles spray live human cells onto a patient.
This methodology could speed up a patient's healing process because doctors could "spray" on replacement tissue that would grow to the size and shape required. These new "seed cells" could also be grown from a previously harvested sample from the patient, thereby reducing the chances of donor rejection.... Sounds like a perfect combination to some of the stem cell therapy options we keep reading about ....
Thusfar, the Manchester group has used this technique to spray (and grow) human fibroblasts and osteoblasts, which as we know are the cells responsible for forming muscle tissue and bone. They have also grown bovine chondrocytes, or cartilage cells.
"We are interested in tissue engineering cartilage, bone and blood vessels. Skin is an application but not our main focus even if the press have picked it up," Brian Derby, leader of the study said in an e-mail. "My guess would be bone replacement as the first application."
Doctors may start using these techniques in five to 10 years, he noted. Possible near-term applications could involve developing tools for the biotech industry. Similar inkjet research is being conducted in Japan and at Clemson University in South Carolina...
Posted on April 7, 2005 12:47 AM