A Research On Limb Regeneration

Although tissue engineers and researchers have already succeeded with creating new skin, blood vessels, bone and cartilage, the more complex organs are difficult to reproduce because of their different functions. Researchers must also be concerned with the mechanisms of growing the tissue. For instance, the advantages and disadvantages are not yet clear for the length of time the cells should be exposed to the growth factors or the difference between growing the tissue outside the body or implanting the scaffold inside the body and letting the tissue grow there. Scaffolding and injectable polymers that form scaffolds in irregular areas (like bone fractures) are also being improved. Much more research is being conducted in order to grow the hearts, livers, breasts, kidneys, and other valuable organs that so many people need.

Many of us have all heard the saying that a “lizard can lose its tail,” and bizarrely enough it will grow back. This was always considered impossible for humans, an idea belonging in the realm of science fiction, but now the regeneration of tissue is an extremely realistic possibility. Despite some opinions, this process does not happen naturally, or take place as cinematically as one might imagine. Over the past decade, there have been major advances in regenerative medicine, commonly known as stem cell research. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells within the body that have the capability to specialize into any tissue. They are most commonly found in cord blood, bone marrow, organ donations, placenta, and embryos . Stem cells are seen by some as a new miracle treatment, encouraging many countries to invest in their research.

The recovery period after large scale injuries could be shortened. The effects are analyzed in an article that states, “True healing could occur thanks to the cloning of their own cells to help the recovery process” (“Pros and Cons” 5). Basically, the process of cloning healthy cells could be used as an aid in replenishing damage of unhealthy cells. This process, if it were to be actualized, could help recovery progress in anything from pulled muscles to the paralysis of an entire limb. In theory, the same research can be applied in other areas. If this technology is paired with stem cell research, it could result in a method of repairing physical damage. An article that focused on advances in biotechnology stated that “Another use of cloned stem cells could be the growth of replacement tissues in the laboratory” (LaPensee 15). Necrosis, apoptosis, and lymphocyte diapedesis all cause tissue damage or death. These tissues could be replaced by cloned cells of healthy tissues. This shortens recovery periods and leads to healthier tissue growth.

There are two methods of cloning organs. One is by injecting a growth factor into the wound site, causing the patient's own cells to migrate and regenerate. The other method is to harvest donor cells and pack them into a three-dimensional polymer scaffold, which is molded into the desired shape. These cells replicate and then can be transplanted into a recipient. The polymer breaks down as the cells form into the shape desired. These organs are called neo-organs. While this may sound like something straight out of a science fiction film, like Dolly, neo-organs are already a reality. All over the United States, grown skin is being used to treat everything from burn victims to skin cancer patients. Also, machines containing cloned liver cells are being used to filter blood until a transplant can be found. Cartilage, because of it's relatively simple structure, seems likely to be the next step. Larger organs will take

Because of stem cells regenerative qualities, many scientists hypothesize that eventually we can use stem cells on a large scale to assist us to regenerate damaged tissue within the body especially when transitioning organ donations, or prosthetics into an individual, ultimately making it a safer practice.

One question that is commonly asked is “Why can’t humans regrow their limbs like a lizard?” the answer to that question is no not naturally. That is because lizards have specialized cells that can change from one type of body cell to another. For example when rebuilding the tail the lizard will need a muscle cell. Soon after that a skin cell will “reprogram” to become a muscle call for the new tail. That is why humans cannot regrow limbs naturally. There is still hope that one day human will have a treatment that will allow us to regrow limbs. Scientists at Rikens Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe Japan conducted an experiment where they took stem cells put them into a human brain and “rewired” them to form a fully functioning

She had uncontrolled diabetes (required insulin injections) and high blood pressure. She could “barely” afford medication because she did not have any income. Because of the health issues, she was unable to work.

Around the globe, organ transplant waiting lists are overflowing with people who will never be able to receive the organs they need to survive. War veterans, accident victims, and those who have succumb to the loss of a limb from some other means endure a profoundly impaired quality of life. At the same time, several animal species are able to inconsequentially endure similar situations because of their remarkable inherent ability to fully regenerate many parts of their body. This ability to regenerate damaged or completely lost tissues and organs is greatly coveted by our species and has been the subject of scientific scrutiny for more than a century. Although the mechanisms responsible for this capability are being discovered and mapped at increasingly accelerated rates, much work is left to be done towards solidifying a thorough understanding of regeneration, let alone applying this knowledge to regenerative medicine.

Regenerative medicine offers the potential to be regenerative rather than merely palliative or symptomatic treatment. This allows therapeutic outcomes that were previously impossible to be achieved. In addition, regenerative medicine offers the prospect of fewer serious side effects than existing products and therapies because it uses existing processes in human biochemistry.

There is an estimated 1.9 million people living with an amputated limb in America, each day 500 more Americans loss a limb (Ziegler et al., 2008). Of those who lose a limb later in life, 60-80% of them experience phantom limb pain. (Nikolajsen et al., 2001) Phantom limb pain refers to a pain or sensation that seems to come from the limb that was amputated. ( Nikolajsen et al., 2001) Of those who are congenital amputees, an estimated 1500 of them are born with upper limb reduction, while 750 of them are born with a lower limb reduction. (Canfield et al, 2006) Limb reduction refers to a defect during birth that causes a part of a limb or the entire limb to fail to fully form during pregnancy. ( Vasluian et al, 2013) A look within the quality of life of these various forms of amputees may produce viable information that could be used to assist in the prosthetic rehabilitation process.

Amputations have and always will be a part of international life. From the gruesome details of amputations in the early ages to the civilized and innovative amputations today. There are many myths and fears that follow amputation. Some of the fears are about life after amputation and how to obtain the proper prostheses and physical therapy. The evolution of amputation asserts the changes in this type of surgery and the advances in prosthesis so that the general public can understand the breakthroughs that have been made in this gruesome surgery.

The main challenges to research in this area of biotechnology: Artificial Limbs, is finding the right articles that provide the most credible information as possible. There are thousands of cases but google helps pull out the specific articles I desire from the most view to the least. Although this struggle is for the reader, the thousands of dollars immunologists pay for equipment and experiments, knowing there will be a 50/50 chance, is a huge set back for more advanced discoveries, that put many lives at risk or on hold. The major scientific advancements in the area of regenerative medicine and biomedical engineering are the immunosuppressive anti-rejection medications and advanced biomaterials for prostheses construction. These advancements prevent immune rejection and repairing of the body giving the owners a new chance of service and

Stem cells have the capability of forming any body tissue or even an entire organism, they are “master cells that can grow into virtually any sort of cell in the human body” (Edwards, Wattenberg & Lineberry, 2009, p. 605). Stem cells are also repair cells, they work to maintain and regenerate cells in organs and tissues that are lost through damage, disease or normal wear and tear.

With more investigation and practice, medical researchers could perfect a method to stimulate “self-repair (coaxing stem cells in the human body to generate healthy cells to heal damaged tissue from within or to prevent further damage) to create new tissue, and substitute for damaged organs” (The Value of Stem Cells). Donated organs and tissues are often used to replace ailing or destroyed tissue, but the need for transplantable tissues and organs far outweighs the available supply. With the ability to differentiate into specific types, stem cells offer us a renewable supply of replacement cells and tissues to treat diseases including macular degeneration, spinal cord injury, burns, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis (What are the potential uses of human stem cells and the obstacles that must be overcome before these potential uses will be

Lately, there is an emerging innovation whereby organs are created to form and increase in size by a process of inorganic accretion, from the patient’s cell. This field of medicine is known as the regenerative medicine. In addition to this, there are basically various types of regenerative medical