Man Regrows Finger
Extra Cellular Matrix
Dr. Stephen Badylak took action when his brother cut off the tip of his finger including the finger nail by giving him "pixie dust". This dust is made from the bladder of a pig where regeration cells live. The University of Pittsburgh has refined this process. It begins by by first scraping away the tough muscle layers of the bladder and then scraping the bladder cells to get ta thin layer of bladder tissue. This process by hand can take a half an hour. The pig's bladder has these regeneration cells on the inside of the bladder tissue. To get these cells out of the tissue they are put in a matrix of a very mild acid and saline, shaken for a two hours and then after several changes of solution, they will have shaken thes cells from the bladder tissue.The result is a "bleached" looking tissue sample. Then, the bladder tissues are dried out into a paper where it can be made into a dust.
The man applied this to his finger everyday and the cells miracuolously began to grow. He now has a new finger tip, nail, and finger print. The man jokes that he has to cut the nail every two days because his body is 69 years old, but his finger tip and nail is only 2 years old. It is indicated that his finger is the same shape as before the injury, has full movement, and complete feeling.
Photos of the regrowth have been documented and Dr. Stephen states, "I think that within ten years that we will have strategies that will re-grow the bones, and promote the growth of functional tissue around those bones." The possible applications of such a breakthrough could hold out hope for amputees, burn victims, and those with cancer. Trials are said to begin on injured soldiers in the US soon.
Author: Dianne Irene All Rights Reserved.
Source:
Matthew Price. The man who grew back his finger tip. BBC News, Ohio. Retrieved from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7354458.stm on May 21, 2008.
Watch videos here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7376191.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7354279.stm
