4 ms·

More complex organs like the kidneys, liver, [...] Interesting. I was under the impression that the liver was going to be one of the easier ones, due to its o

• xerophtye 13y ago
  do even need to create artificial livers? i thought liver transplant was easy thanks to its regeneration. Of course you can't simply do the same thing with vaginas... hence the need for engineered ones
  • ansible 13y ago
    do even need to create artificial livers? There's still the issue of having to take immune system suppressing drugs, and rejection in general. Its less of an issue for the donor (though it is still major surgery) because the donor's liver will regrow and be back to full function.
• graeham 13y ago
  There is a fair bit of focus on it. I'm not sure if that is because of the ease of building them or the need for it - it is a fairly critical organ and there is a shortage of donors. I believe the challenge is the vascular (blood vessel) network, which is quite developed and important to the liver's function. A lab-grown liver could be quite advantageous to a donated liver - the lab would use the person's own cells to make the tissue. Rejection becomes less of an issue. Today, liver recipients need to go on immuno-suppressants. It is inconvenient to take dozens of pills a day and these people are more prone to illness.