Science creates organs for the immune system

    
        It so seems that scientists are a step closer to a new discovery. They were able to produce a new working organ from laboratory cells, hoping to cure people with weak immune systems. (Image 1) This functional laboratory cell was created into a living organ and tested on an animal for the first time, but it might take another decade until they can make sure it’s safe enough for the human body.

Image 1: Fibroblasts which are altered into the thymus cells or so called epithelial cells.

          An article in The Guardian caught my attention where they have indicated that a British scientist was able to produce a working organ that would be placed by the nerve center. This cell, which has created the Thymus organ, also known as the T cell is hopefully a new discovery to treatment for those who have weak immune systems. Cells called fibroblasts were transferred from a mice embryo and were reprogrammed into a completely different cell called the Thymus.  This resulting thymus was mixed with other thymus cells and it was relocated into mice. This development made it possible for the mice to grow a whole new structured organ. (Image 2) Even though not all of the T cells would be able to come from the lab, this is still a first step to a new innovation. 

Image 2: The laboratory made cells which were displaced into the mice kidney establishing a thymus.

According to The Science Daily although this new cell structured way of creating the thymus is for a good cause, there still are challenges. Doctors were able to show us that, patients who have thymus disorders can be treated if they have extra immune cells infused or if they have a thymus transplant. But the first issue with this is that there aren't enough organ donors for everyone suffering from this, but luckily if the plan those scientists have by now works, their patients could be healed. But if this does work, how will they be able to supply all the cells for the organ and would it be safe? All though the article in The Guardian has already told us that not all of the cells required for the organ can now be made in the lab, this isn't all. There are a number of scientists, clinicians and engineers working on this new technology hoping to make it come true and trusting it not to cause any tumor formation.

             

          Despite the fact that other scientist have also been trying and making new organs from stem cells including, the heart, brains and liver, no one was able to succeed in creating an organ from cells made outside the body. But unlike those situations, these laboratory cells developing the thymus were successfully made outside of the body and even relocated into mice. Though, this will most likely take another 10 years of testing, this is the closest scientists have got to creating a living organ that could save people’s health.