3 ms·

Quack Alert I'm just relaying what I've heard, so take it with a grain of salt, but on an episode of No Agenda, Adam Curry says that he had dinner with a guy

Quack Alert I'm just relaying what I've heard, so take it with a grain of salt, but on an episode of No Agenda, Adam Curry says that he had dinner with a guy who worked in stem cell research in Germany (I'm fairly certain it was Germany) the guy said with confidence that the technology exists to regrow fingers. The guy expressed frustration that such technology will never be released. I know that most people will be highly skeptical, but it doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me.

carbocation 14y ago
Stem cell biology and synthetic organogenesis (not sure what the term for this will eventually be) are not my fields. However, we are getting excited about regrowing myocardium from stem cells when sitting on top of a pre-existing scaffolding. That's one tissue-type. A finger requires afferent and efferent nerves, bone, cartilage, synovium, tendons, ligaments, vasculature, interstitium, muscle, dermis, and epidermis. It seems highly unlikely that we can regrow a finger given current technology. Each individual piece? Maybe. Each of those pieces in their proper place coalescing into a functional whole? I don't buy it.
- berntb 14y ago
  You argue against building the tissue. I buy your argument. Small children can regrow fingertips, yes? Couldn't it be possible to use that mechanism for fingers?
  - carbocation 14y ago
    My understanding is that there is research in what you suggested. I'm just saying that I don't believe we yet have the technology to grow a finger. Someday, almost surely we will. Just, not for some time. Or so I think.
    - Mz 14y ago
      They can already regrow a fingertip in an adult, though I think that is (as you said) still in research stages and not available to the general public. Having regrown lung tissue of my own using info available online and no fancy gizmos to speak of, presumably we aren't terribly far off from bigger accomplishments.
Florin_Andrei 14y ago
> such technology will never be released. What was the reason given?
unimpressive 14y ago
I think he was talking about this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-437215/Scientists-use-pig-bladder-help-man-regrow-fingertip.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-437215/Scient... If I remember correctly, this isn't widely used because of cancer risks.

carbocation 14y ago

Stem cell biology and synthetic organogenesis (not sure what the term for this will eventually be) are not my fields. However, we are getting excited about regrowing myocardium from stem cells when sitting on top of a pre-existing scaffolding. That's one tissue-type. A finger requires afferent and efferent nerves, bone, cartilage, synovium, tendons, ligaments, vasculature, interstitium, muscle, dermis, and epidermis. It seems highly unlikely that we can regrow a finger given current technology. Each individual piece? Maybe. Each of those pieces in their proper place coalescing into a functional whole? I don't buy it.

berntb 14y ago
You argue against building the tissue. I buy your argument. Small children can regrow fingertips, yes? Couldn't it be possible to use that mechanism for fingers?
- carbocation 14y ago
  My understanding is that there is research in what you suggested. I'm just saying that I don't believe we yet have the technology to grow a finger. Someday, almost surely we will. Just, not for some time. Or so I think.
  - Mz 14y ago
    They can already regrow a fingertip in an adult, though I think that is (as you said) still in research stages and not available to the general public. Having regrown lung tissue of my own using info available online and no fancy gizmos to speak of, presumably we aren't terribly far off from bigger accomplishments.

Florin_Andrei 14y ago

> such technology will never be released. What was the reason given?

unimpressive 14y ago

I think he was talking about this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-437215/Scientists-use-pig-bladder-help-man-regrow-fingertip.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-437215/Scient... If I remember correctly, this isn't widely used because of cancer risks.