GROWING LUNGS IN THE LAB
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: GROWING LUNGS IN THE LAB: MEDICINE'S NEXT BIG THING? Lung transplantation is surgery to replace one or both diseased
lungs with a healthy lung or lungs from a donor. One of the major challenges
with lung transplantation is the lack of donors. There are about 4,000 people
on the waiting list, yet only 1,000 of those patients will receive lungs for
transplant. Rejection is another challenge when it comes to lung transplants.
"There's no attempt made, for the most part, to match the donor lung to the
recipient because there are so few donor organs available, so it's a huge
problem," Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Ph.D., a scientist at the University of
Minnesota, told Ivanhoe.
TOPIC: GROWING LUNGS IN THE LAB: MEDICINE'S NEXT BIG THING? Lung transplantation is surgery to replace one or both diseased
lungs with a healthy lung or lungs from a donor. One of the major challenges
with lung transplantation is the lack of donors. There are about 4,000 people
on the waiting list, yet only 1,000 of those patients will receive lungs for
transplant. Rejection is another challenge when it comes to lung transplants.
"There's no attempt made, for the most part, to match the donor lung to the
recipient because there are so few donor organs available, so it's a huge
problem," Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Ph.D., a scientist at the University of
Minnesota, told Ivanhoe.
BACKGROUND:
GROWING NEW LUNGS: Scientists used a process called whole organ
decellularization to remove cells from the lungs of dead adult mice and implant
healthy stem cells derived from unborn mice into the decellularized matrix --
the natural framework of the lungs. After a week in an incubator, the infused
cells attached themselves to the matrix while breathing with the aid of a
ventilator. "Even after prolonged ventilation, two to three weeks, the matrix
maintained its entire geometry and was in tact. We fully expected that after
all this we'd just have an empty balloon, but that's not what happened.
Everything was maintained, exactly as it would be in a normal lung,"
Panoskaltsis-Mortari told Ivanhoe.
decellularization to remove cells from the lungs of dead adult mice and implant
healthy stem cells derived from unborn mice into the decellularized matrix --
the natural framework of the lungs. After a week in an incubator, the infused
cells attached themselves to the matrix while breathing with the aid of a
ventilator. "Even after prolonged ventilation, two to three weeks, the matrix
maintained its entire geometry and was in tact. We fully expected that after
all this we'd just have an empty balloon, but that's not what happened.
Everything was maintained, exactly as it would be in a normal lung,"
Panoskaltsis-Mortari told Ivanhoe.
Scientists hope they will eventually be able to use this process to "grow" new
lungs for patients in the lab. One possibility may involve removing lungs from
a deceased person, decellularizing them, seeding the remaining framework with
patient-derived stem cells to reproduce and develop into lung cells, and then
transplanting the new lungs into people with diseased lungs to give them a new
life. "I believe that even if they don't make entire lungs, I believe that they
will be able to make portions of lungs or at least enough in order to help the
patient get by," Panoskaltsis-Mortari told Ivanhoe.
lungs for patients in the lab. One possibility may involve removing lungs from
a deceased person, decellularizing them, seeding the remaining framework with
patient-derived stem cells to reproduce and develop into lung cells, and then
transplanting the new lungs into people with diseased lungs to give them a new
life. "I believe that even if they don't make entire lungs, I believe that they
will be able to make portions of lungs or at least enough in order to help the
patient get by," Panoskaltsis-Mortari told Ivanhoe.
Lung transplantation is usually the only option for patients with irreversible
structural lung damage caused by cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary
diseases such as emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, primary pulmonary
arterial hypertension and cystic fibrosis.
structural lung damage caused by cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary
diseases such as emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, primary pulmonary
arterial hypertension and cystic fibrosis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Nick Hanson, Media Relations
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 624-2449
Hans2853@umn.edu
Nick Hanson, Media Relations
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 624-2449
Hans2853@umn.edu
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