Reconstructing human body parts is no joke. The complex structures of most of our body parts has barred us from recreating them in situations that demand their replacement. But ever since the dawn of the new millenium, the leaps that mankind has made in this field have been monumental. Most recently, researchers from INSERM have found a way to replace damaged blood vessels with new ones produced in a laboratory! So let us take a look at how these brilliant minds have managed to achieve this incredible feat of modern science.
The researchers began by cultivating human cells in a controlled laboratory. This process resulted in the collection of extracellular matrix deposits high in collagen. And since collagen is a structural protein that is one of the main constituents in the mechanical scaffold of the human extracellular matrix, the researchers were able to make thin and robust sheets of extracellular matrix that can be used as constructors to repair and replace blood vessels.
More specifically, in order to recreate the complex structures of blood vessels, the researchers cut the sheets to form yarn. And just like the yarn used in manufacturing fabric and clothes, the extracellular matrix yarn was knitted and woven to form the desired structure. In this case it was of course used to make blood vessels, but the robust nature of the sheets could also be used to make other components in the body as well.
This method also has added advantages as it the constituent components are all made from biological materials. This makes it easily tolerable for most patients. And since the collagen concentration doesn’t vary significantly from person to person, the researchers believe that the body will not consider this as a foreign material and adjusts itself accordingly.
The possibilities for this new found method are endless. Moreover, the researchers are still on the path to find further breakthroughs. So, with further studies, animal trials will soon be approved and human trials will quickly follow. The future is imminent.