Tissue Culturing Possibilities
Possibilities on GSC Space Facilities
Growing tissue samples - tissue culturing - is one of the fundamental goals of biomedical research. Scienctists use laboratory containers called bioreactors to grow, or "culture," samples of body tissues. Scientists could use cancer tumors and other tissues that are successfully grown outside the body to test and study treatments, such as chemotherapy, without ricking harm to patients. These tissues from bioreactors will also offer important medical insights into how tissues grow and develop in the body.
Engineers have already created breakthrough technologies for cell culture research on the ground, and major breakthroughs can be expected when long duration orbital research becomes available. For example, bioreactors have already produced the first 80-day lung culture, the first normal human intestine culture, and major breakthroughs in the quality of cancer tumor cultures.
In the long term, tissues cultured outside the body may be used directly for replacing damaged tissues, treating diseases, or eventually replacing organs.
Highlights of Recent Research
- Dr. Jeanne Becker of the University of South Florida has applied tissue culturing technology to create a breakthrough in culturing ovarian cancer tumors for cancer research.
Dr. Josh Zimmerberg of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development is using bioreactors to pursue AIDS research goals.
Dr. Lisa Freed of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is using a bioreactor to grow cartilage cells on biodegradable scaffolds. Her work shows a clear prospect for using orbital research to produce models and transplantable cartilage tissues that could revolutionize treatment for joint diseases and injuries.
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