ed84c Posted February 9, 2004 Posted February 9, 2004 If a liver can be grown from 7/8ths dead why can't new ones be grown in a lab?
YT2095 Posted February 9, 2004 Posted February 9, 2004 it requires too much support, the body can usualy provide this if in good enough health.
Sayonara Posted February 9, 2004 Posted February 9, 2004 Liver tissue can be generated: http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=560 A major problem is that the liver is such a complex, multi-function organ that it's extremely difficult to make a working organ and integrate it into a host body.
fafalone Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 This is another one of those things that will be revolutionized by stem cells... just wait.
Sayonara Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 Let's hope so... livers on demand would make a huge difference.
-Demosthenes- Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 That's pretty cool how they can cut a third off a donated liver and give it to a child, and give the biger part to an adult and save two people. But why can it do that, and nothing else can? Or is there other parts of the body that can do that??
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 Not much can do that, I suppose worms and starfish are famous for it, but humans really would have a tough time.
Glider Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 -Demosthenes- said in post # : That's pretty cool how they can cut a third off a donated liver and give it to a child, and give the biger part to an adult and save two people. But why can it do that, and nothing else can? Or is there other parts of the body that can do that?? It can do that because although the liver is a complex, multi-function organ, in structure it is homogenous. Every part of the liver is exactly the same as every other part (consisting of lobuli). To regenerate, all it has to do is to create more lobuli. In this, the liver is unique. No other organ is homogenous in structure.
Quantum Defect Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 Liver transplants remind me of Monty Python: "Hello...uhh...can we have your liver?"
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 Quantum Defect said in post # :Liver transplants remind me of Monty Python: "Hello...uhh...can we have your liver?" Sorry, mine is occupied right now. They can grow liver tissue synthetically, the problem is blood vessels.
Sayonara Posted February 23, 2004 Posted February 23, 2004 I'm ending this now because it's been answered already, and the fewer venues there are for people to repeat dumbed-down versions of previous replies the better
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