Brits Make Liver

(Newcastle, England) Dr. Nico Forraz and Professor Colin McGuckin of Newcastle University led a team of researchers who have successfully grown tiny sections of human liver. The cells were produced from umbilical cord blood in a NASA-derived microgravity bioreactor, which mimics weightlessness.

From BBC:

Professor Ian Gilmore, a liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, told BBC News the team's work was significant.

"Firstly that they are able to do it from umbilical cord blood and not requiring embryos. That's quite a big ethical leap forward.

"And they are producing such a significant amount of tissue."

But he said: "We're a long way from producing a whole liver. The liver has its own blood supply, its own fibrous skeleton, they are just producing the individual liver cells.

"But nonetheless it is exciting because there is a real dearth of treatments available for people with liver disease.

"Many people are waiting for transplants. Anything that does give some hope, even over a 10-year period, is cause for celebration."

Without cloning and without destroying any human embryos, we have stem cell research producing significant results. It can be done despite what Michael J. Fox, the Democrats and abortion advocates contend.