— Every organ in our bodies performs a specialized role. So what happens when one of these organs fails or is damaged? Some animals can re-grow or replace lost tissue – newts can regenerate entire lost limbs – but unfortunately human organ regeneration is limited mainly to the liver. For decades, the only solution has been organ transplantation, but the demand for organs far exceeds the number of donors, which causes the waitlists for most transplants to be quite long. Also, transplants are not always successful, and it can be difficult to find a “donor match” which will be compatible with the patient’s body. However, as technology and researchers’ understanding of the human body have advanced, the field of tissue engineering is making some serious breakthroughs, and with this progress comes the promise of custom-made organs that could not only keep pace with demand, but also avoid rejection since they could be made with a patient’s own cells. Continue reading Custom-Made Body Parts: Advances in Tissue Engineering