Prospects for organ and tissue replacement.
Damage or loss of a tissue or organ is common, costly, and tragic. Advances in mechanical artificial organs and organ transplantation have improved the treatment of organ failure, and advances in molecular immunology, tissue engineering, and stem cell biology offer the promise of even better therapeutic modalities for treating organ failure in the future. Enhancement of immune tolerance of transplanted tissues, improved understanding of cellular differentiation and tissue development, and advances in biomaterials may enable the de novo creation of implantable tissue and organs for transplantation. Innovative techniques for prevention and treatment of tissue loss and organ failure should improve the quality and length of life.
Niklason
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Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Anesthesia, Duke University Medical Center 9094, Durham, NC 27710, USA. NIKLA001@mc.duke.edu
Langer
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D000818:Animals; D001187:Artificial Organs / Q000639:trends*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000639:trends*; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends*; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000639:trends*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials