Adult stem cells key to ventricle transplants

Prominent British cardiac surgeon Magdi Yacoub says that he believes that scientists will quickly perfect the use of adult stem cells for growing a complete new ventricle for transplant, with human trials coming in three to five years. A researcher at Heart Science Centre at Harefield hospital, Middlesex, Yacoub has written an article that outlines the ongoing research that is paving the way to a day when complete new hearts can be grown from stem cells extracted from a patient. The first stage of that process will be seen as researchers grow new heart valves for procedures involving 80,000 patients a year. Today valve replacements are either mechanical or come from pigs, but both are short-term options.

- read the article from The Independent

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