6 ms·

Wonder if they could use human stem cells on a matrix from a pig heart or something.

• jack9 10y ago
  You don't want to do that. Pig hearts are notoriously less durable (soft tissue tends to fail quickly, like in a fraction of a decade), so there's not a lot of data on the longevity of the circulatory stability of porcine hearts. I wouldn't ever get a porcine or cadaverous tissue transplant - as someone who pays close attention and has been living with an artificial valve for decades. (Human-) Cadaverous scaffolding, sounds ok on the surface. Let's see how much of it and specifically what parts are left intact after the growth process.
  • DannoHung 10y ago
    Yeah, but if organ replacement becomes something we can routinely do to extend lifespans, then eventually you run out of cadavers. That's probably a bit far-flung in terms of thinking though.
• nycthbris 10y ago
  They do. Porcine hearts are a more reliable, consistent, and easily obtainable source for decellularized heart matrix. It's a great tool for experiments to develop the technology. Transplantation however is a different story.