"This thing that looks like a liver and functions like a liver came from somebody's skin cells."

Scientists grow mini human livers, transplant them into rats

Liver Farm

In a new study, doctors managed to grow functional, miniature human livers out of stem cells and tested them in living rats.

Scientists Grow Mini Human Livers, Transplant Them Into Rats

READ MORE: <a href="https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/lab-grown-mini-human-livers">HUMAN MINI-LIVERS PAVE THE WAY FOR MADE-TO-ORDER ORGAN TRANSPLANTS</a> [Inverse]

More on mini organs: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/robots-grow-humanoid-organoids-stem-cells-faster-better">Robots Can Grow Humanoid Mini-Organs From Stem Cells Faster and Better Than People</a>

Studies

"You can make a whole organ that can be functional from one cell of the skin."

BIOLIFE4D - The Science of Bioprinting a Human Heart

The mini heart could become a viable tool for cardiotoxicity testing — the study of how drug treatments and medications could cause damage to the heart muscle.

This biotech company claims to have 3D printed a mini human heart

3D Bioprinting

Chicago-based biotech company Biolife4D claims to have 3D bioprinted a miniaturized human heart — chambers, ventricles, and all.

This Biotech Company Claims to Have 3D Printed a Mini Human Heart

More on bioprinted hearts: <a href="https://futurism.com/neoscope/researchers-3d-printed-heart-human-tissue">Researchers Create First Ever 3D-Printed Heart Using Human Tissue</a>

Breakthroughs

Can 3D printing technology really make donor organs obsolete?

Animal-to-human organ transplants are on the horizon.

The organ shortage will soon get worse. Animal organs could help.

Life Savers

The organ shortage could get worse with the advent of self-driving cars, but advances in xenotransplantation could make up the difference and then some.

The Organ Shortage Will Soon Get Worse. Animal Organs Could Help.

"It’s no longer a question of if. It’s just a question of when."

We don't know where thousands of organs came from.

Study accuses China of likely stealing organs from prisoners

Organ Grinder

A newly published analysis of 445 Chinese transplant studies reveals a startling lack of information on the source of the organs.

Study Accuses China of Likely Stealing Organs From Prisoners

Prisoners may have been "killed for the purpose of organ acquisition."

We're headed toward a future in which anyone who needs a new heart gets one.

Baboons with pig hearts bring us closer to human-pig transplants

Guinea Pigs

Researchers have successfully transplanted pig hearts into baboons, keeping four of the animals alive for more than 90 days.

Baboons With Pig Hearts Bring Us Closer to Human-Pig Transplants

Four of the animals survived for at least 90 days.

Patients could grow vessels that more naturally link to a dialysis machine.

Growing new veins could make life better for people on dialysis

Health & Medicine

Dialysis patients can develop problems from the plastic tube implanted in their arm. One company is growing new veins that link more easily to the machine.

Growing New Veins Could Make Life Better for People on Dialysis

A small practical improvement could make a world of difference.

Chimera research could help address the gap in supply and demand for organ donation.

Scientists announce new animal-human hybrid experiment — this time with sheep

Hard Science

A team of scientists led by Stanford University have created another hybrid species using a sheep embryo and human stem cells.

Scientists Announce New Animal-Human Hybrid Experiment — This Time With Sheep

Only 0.01 percent of human cells were used, but it paves the way for future experiments to combine species.

The team has already modified organs from rats and pigs to make them human-donor compatible.

Refurbished organs could save millions on the transplant list

A surgeon is giving animal organs a makeover using a tissue scaffold that can be seeded with human stem cells from the patient in need of a transplant.

Refurbished Organs Could Save Millions on the Transplant List

The method spruces up animal and human organs with new stem cells. 

If the surgery proves successful, it would open up the potential of re-transplantation for patients.

Surgeons in France just performed the first-ever double face transplant

It's too soon to tell if the procedure was successful, but the double face transplant joins the ranks of only 40 face transplants ever performed.

Surgeons in France Just Performed the First-Ever Double Face Transplant

“This graft shows for the first time that re-transplantation is possible in the case of chronic rejection."

"The current discard of kidneys would be hard to explain to the families of deceased donors."

Doctors discard viable organs as patients die on waiting lists

One out of every five kidneys recovered is discarded, which has caused a kidney shortage. In recent years, the number of discarded organs has increased.

/ organ-transplant