Scala/Art Resource, NY
Tissue engineering has taken on a new meaning in recent years, bringing the stuff of science fiction to the operating table. Bone, cartilage, skin, and other organ tissues can now be grown from stem cells and implanted. Pushing beyond the mechanics of prosthetics, the advances in stem-cell biology and materials science have enabled startling accomplishments, including the replacement of a human breastbone, a thumb, and a rat spinal cord.
But, connections to the embryonic stem-cell ethical minefield bring a renewed need to evaluate our best options in moving forward. As the name implies, pluripotent embryonic stem cells are rife with potential but also with confounding factors even outside philosophical quagmires. I believe that further work with adult stem cells, which may skirt both ethical and technical difficulties, will lead us toward more success with tissue engineering.
A painting by Fra Angelica, "Healing of Justinian" (see above) depicting ...
