From Petri dish to transplant table: The race to grow HUMAN ORGANS

General
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Imagine a world where patients no longer have to wait years on an organ transplant list, because a personalized organ can be grown from their own cells.

This is not science fiction anymore.

In a 2023 research study published in the journal “Nature Biotechnology”, researchers successfully 3D-bioprinted functional liver tissue through the utilization of stem cells derived from the patient’s own body. Meanwhile, research teams at institutions like Harvard and Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have been able to engineer mini-hearts, lungs, and kidneys in the lab, bringing us closer than ever towards building full-sized and transplantable human organs.

These lab-grown organs can mimic natural organ function, reduce rejection risks, and could completely change the future of organ transplantation, specifically for patients with rare tissue types/chronic diseased conditions.

Some worth-reading review articles published in esteemed journals:

  1. Advancements in tissue and organ 3D bioprinting: Current techniques, applications, and future perspectives - ScienceDirect
  2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17452759.2024.2384662#abstract

Current success rate:

Liver organoids: 80-90% cell viability after transplantation (in animal models)
Heart organoids: Show synchronized contraction and response to electrical signals (~70-80% functional similarity to fetal heart tissue)
Kidney constructs: Partial function in rodent models, no full-scale human transplant yet

Full human organ transplants have not yet occurred, but partial tissue implants and organ patches have been used successfully in early clinical trials (e.g., for cartilage, bladder, and corneal tissue).

While the idea of fully lab-grown and transplant-ready human organs still belongs to the early stages of clinical translation, but recent advances are undeniably groundbreaking. We have moved far beyond theory; from basic stem cell cultures to functional mini-organs (organoids), and even partial tissue transplants in preclinical and early human trials.

Few major hurdles that remain:

  • Scaling organ size and function
  • Integrating vasculature for blood flow
  • Ensuring long-term safety and immune tolerance

In the next 10-15 years, we could see the first FDA-approved lab-grown organ transplants, starting with simpler structures like bladders, corneas, and liver tissue patches, and gradually moving towards complex organs like hearts and kidneys. While we are not there yet, each breakthrough brings us closer to a future where no life is lost waiting for a donor organ.

How do you envision lab-grown organs transforming the future of medicine in the next 10-20 years?

What opportunities could these lab-grown organs create for global health, especially in countries with limited access to organ transplants?

2 Likes
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I think the science of organ growth and transplants will be perfected in the next few decades. We will see a significant reduction in not only adverse reactions associated with organ transplants, but also human-trafficking. Lab grown organs will mean stricter regulations on organ sourcing and transplant procedures altogether for the greater good!

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@caryn very very true. Trafficking can be significantly reduced through this.

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Beyond organ transplantation, such artificial organoids and tissue patches are ideal models to research illness in a patient-specific setting and screening medications with increased precision, possibly expediting the discovery of promising treatments with minimal adverse effects.

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@manishakalita Absolutely.