Scientists create artificial liver
Tuesday, 31 Oct 2006 09:15
Scientists hope the advance is the first step to creating a fully functioning liver
Science In Focus
London commuters are being urged not to ignore the plight of hunted whales Full Story
Scientists at Newcastle University have reportedly created an artificial liver in a laboratory, making a major breakthrough for stem cell scientists and researchers around the world.
The liver tissue, which is around the size of a one pence piece, was taken from blood in a baby's umbilical cord, just moments after birth, according to the Daily Mail.
This advance is hoped to reduce the need for animal and human testing of drugs, as new medicines could be tested on these man-made organs.
Such a breakthrough comes after six men fell seriously ill after an inflammatory response to a medical drug trial in March.
Technology used to develop the tiny liver could then be used to repair livers damaged by alcohol or illness, and in the future hopefully create whole livers to be used in transplant operations.
Figures from the British Liver Trust show that between 600 and 700 liver transplants are performed every year in the UK and the current waiting list time for low-risk patients is around 6-12 months.