Ted Talk: Anthony Ayala

Ted Talk: Anthony Ayala

• 1950s - 1st ever organ transplant (kidney)
• number of people needing transplants doubled as time progressed but number of organs available remained the same. This is due to longer human lifespan. 
• Every 30 secs, a patient dies from diseases that could be treated with tissue transplant. 
• Bone regenerates every 10 years. Skin regenerates every 2 weeks.
• Body's first reaction to injury is to seal away injury (organs, skin, etc). Scar tissue.
• Materials can be used as bridge to regenerate tissue. 
• Max amount body can regenerate is 1cm.
• Injured patient -> take small part of tissue -> tease tissue and cells out (separating) -> grow in large quantity. Use scaffold to bring cells into body to regenerate new tissue. Once tissue regenerates, scaffold disintegrates. 
• Engineered organs (muscle, blood vessel) using scaffold must be exercised for use in human body. 
• Can use printer to print organs. Cells instead of ink.
• Can use decellularized organ. Take donated organ, strip the cells, take cells and put it on the "skeleton" of cell. Use to create functional organ.
• 90% people waiting for organs are waiting for kidneys.
• Your own cells will not be rejected from the body. 
• Stem cells