UK in first for human heart valve grown from stem cells:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
A UK team has created what is claimed to be the first human heart valve to be grown from stem cells. The investigators, from the Harefield Heart Science Centre near London, first used chemical and physical nudges to coax stem cells extracted from bone marrow to grow into heart valve cells, according to an article published in The Guardian (April 2). The cells were then placed on collagen scaffolds and grown into 3cm-wide discs of heart valve tissue. The valves are expected to be tested in animals later this year. In a comment by the British Heart Foundation, Professor John Martin said: "Although the work carried out the Harefield is exciting, there is a long road to be travelled before patients awaiting heart transplants will benefit from this research."