[Karen W. (OP)]

I was talking to a woman about all the medical problems That have plagued me the last couple years, and we were speaking about Stem cells.

She said in Israel or India.. (I cannot remember)
that they can grow you a heart from your own stem cells....

What I want to know is.. would my new heart be plagued with the same congenital birth defects as
I was born with???

Would it be a waste of time to save my stem cells? If not, how long does it take to grow me a new compatible heart, that would not need anti-rejection drugs?

 She said, that they can't do it in the states, but that I would have to go there.... Is there any truth to her story?

[JnA]

I do remember reading an article put out by our ABC that discussed the use of ones own stemcells to help *repair* heart muscle..
I've got a tweak of a memory of someone attempting to grow a whole organ (can't put my finger on which specific part) but, AFAIK not successful?? (although that doesn't mean they haven't perfected the idea by now)

I'll try to find the ABC article later (their servers are down now)

[Karen W. (OP)]

What is AFAIK? Ok This lady was positive they were doing it but.. I had never heard one way or the other.. about the heart or the validity.. Thanks Jenna any thing would be good thanks for your help!

[RD]

US Doctors Use Stem Cells to Replace Organs
SBS 6.30pm TV World News Transcripts
Special Broadcasting Service
04 April 2006

Doctors in the US are reporting increased success in using stem cell technology, to replace damaged body parts. After replicating skin and cartilage from scratch, they have now built functioning bladders, and are working towards customised blood vessels, lungs and even hearts...

Doctors say customised a heart is most complex of the organs under development but some say even that might be ready for growing and implanting within five to seven years. 

http://www.stemcellnews.com/articles/stem-cells-to-replace-organs.htm

[Karen W. (OP)]

Thats in the states.. So I wonder if she is right about India or wherever she said it was! She said they had already grown many and were already doing transplants but not in USA..

[RD]

Israeli Scientists Create Heart

By Steven Edwards March 19, 2007
   
In an announcement sure to excite the Tin Man, Israel grew a tiny heart* using human embryonic stem cells.

A tiny beating "heart in a dish" has been grown by Israeli scientists in a world first which will offer hope to millions of cardiac patients.

The first human trials using sections of grown tissue could start within 10 years. Other applications could become reality even sooner.

http://blog.wired.com/biotech/2007/03/israeli_scienti.html

* a piece of heart tissue less than 1cm square: no valves, no chambers.

[JnA]

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1505962.htm

this is the article I remember reading.. I didn't recall it as exactly as I thought

AFAIK - as far as I know

[Karen W. (OP)]

Thanks JnA

[chris]

We covered a system a bit like this on the Naked scientists back in February 2008.

This was research from Minnesota in which stem cells are implanted into a de-cellularised organ scaffold. They then differentiate into new muscle, producing a beating heart...

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/show/2008.02.17/

The relevant information is under "interviews".

Chris

[Karen W. (OP)]

ooooh I missed it I will check the link! Thank you Chris!

What is a "de-cellularised organ scaffold?"