Scientists Successfully Grow Hybrid Rat Organs

A lot of people would like to donate their organs to others who need them. However, despite this generosity, there is still a shortage of organs for transplant. It is mainly because there are different factors that play a role -- the health of the organ and the compatibility with the host are a few.

Therefore, scientists are looking into innovative solutions as a cure to the shortage of human transplant organs. It seems that they are a step closer toward their goals. Yahoo reported that scientists were able to grow mouse pancreases in rats and used them to cure diabetes in mice.

As explained by Live Science, the transplants successfully managed the blood sugar levels of the mice for over a year. Although it is too early to indicate whether or not this type of transplant can be enough to save humans, or whether or not these organs can be grown in pigs and sheep, the study's co-author, Hiromitsu Nakauchi of Stanford University, shared, "We found that the diabetic mice were able to normalise their blood glucose levels for over a year after transplantation."

It is vastly different to grow human organs in large animals. But it is a potential solution for the shortage of transplant organs such as hearts, kidneys, livers and lungs, among others. Petri dish attempts at doing so have been so far frustrating at best.

Harvard University biologist Qiao Zhou said in a comment, "Although scientists have begun to master the art of making assemblies of cells that resemble organ precursors in a petri dish, the microscopic size and rudimentary organisation of these organoids is a far cry from that of an adult organ."

This statement was backed up by Robin Lovell Badge of the Francis Crick Institute, who said that the development is potentially important. But at this rate, it is still "a very long way from practical applications for humans."