A “GHOST heart” grown with pig organ scaffolds and human cells could soon be used in human transplants, experts say.
A molecular biologist said that after seeing heart cells in harmony in a petri dish, she “can really imagine building a personal human heart.”
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Doris Taylor, director of regenerative medicine research at the Texas Heart Institute, said that by using a patient’s own tissues, they could create a viable option with pig cells that the body won’t reject.
“It really changed my life,” Taylor told CNN. “I said to myself, ‘Oh my god, that’s life.’ I wanted to figure out the hows and whys and recreate that to save lives.”
Taylor said the innovative replacement could potentially become a scheduled procedure rather than a last-minute operation.
“That lowers your risk by eliminating the need for (anti-rejection) drugs, by using your own cells to build that heart, it lowers costs… and you’re not in the hospital as often, so it improves your health.” quality of life.”
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Taylor also presented a robot that was taught to infuse the human stem cells into the phantom heart in a sterile environment.
The biologist showed a video of the translucent-manufactured heart turning pink after it was injected.
“It is the first chance to cure the biggest killer of men, women and children worldwide – heart disease. And then I want to make it available to everyone,” the scientist shared excitedly.
CEO of Advanced Solution Michael Golway praised Taylor’s work and tenacity over the long-term project.
“At any point, Dr. Taylor could have easily said, ‘I’m done, this just isn’t going to work,'” Golway told CNN.
“But she persevered for years and battled adversity to find the right type of cells in the right amounts and right conditions to make those cells happy and grow.”
Taylor first became interested in growing hearts when she worked on a team at Duke University in 1998.
The team injected cells into a rabbit’s failing heart and created a new heart muscle.
However, whenever she tried to translate success into human biology, it was hit and miss.
“We placed cells in damaged or scarred areas of the heart and hoped that would repair the existing damage,” Taylor.
“I started thinking, what if we could get rid of that bad environment and rebuild the house?”
In 2008, Taylor found real success when she and the team at the University of Minnesota decellularized a rat’s heart and began working with the translucent skeleton that was left behind.
After this breakthrough, she moved into the hearts of pigs because of their anatomical resemblance to humans.
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“I’m just humbled and privileged to do this job, and proud of where we are,” Taylor said.
“The technology is ready. I hope everyone will ride with us because this changes the game.”
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