Name: Growing new organs
Uploaded: 2010-01-21T08:53:00Z
Duration: 17 min 35 s
Description: Anthony Atala's state-of-the-art lab grows human organs -- from muscles to blood vessels to bladders, and more. At TEDMED, he shows footage of his bio-engineers working with some of its sci-fi gizmos, including an oven-like bioreactor (preheat to 98.6 F) and a machine that "prints" human tissue.

Anthony Atala's state-of-the-art lab grows human organs -- from muscles to blood vessels to bladders, and more. At TEDMED, he shows footage of his bio-engineers working with some of its sci-fi gizmos, including an oven-like bioreactor (preheat to 98.6 F) and a machine that "prints" human tissue.

Growing new organs

Regenerative medicine is tackling the organ shortage by growing human tissues and organs in the lab, using patients’ own cells and smart biomaterials. Every 30 seconds, someone dies from diseases that could be treated with tissue regeneration or replacement. Cutting-edge technologies, from bioprinting hearts to engineering bladders, are moving from science fiction to real patients, offering hope for those on transplant waitlists. These breakthroughs are hard-won, requiring years of collaboration and careful safety checks before reaching the clinic.