Site author Richard Steane
The BioTopics website gives access to interactive resource material, developed to support the learning and teaching of Biology at a variety of levels.
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Site author Richard Steane
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The BioTopics website gives access to interactive resource material, developed to support the learning and teaching of Biology at a variety of levels.
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No - this is not what is meant by cloning of human body parts for transplant surgery, although some people distrust scientists enough to believe that this is so! In fact it is just an experiment to see if cells can be encouraged to grow on a preformed structure. Admittedly the mouse is a rather strange hairless variety, but would you like an ear covered with mouse hair? In fact body parts cannot be directly cloned and grown. You cannot slice up, say, a kidney and expect it to grow into two or three new ones! The most promising lines of approach involve encouraging stem cells to differentiate into specific cell types and then encouraging them to colonise 3-D templates so that they can take on the shape that is required. There has been some success with artificial or replacement bladders and windpipes. See web references below. |
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Some questions about this informationWhat is the general trend shown by the need for transplant organs over the time period covered?>gradual increase for the first few years (5248-5673), then more rapid increase recently (up to 7234) What does the term deceased mean? > dead - possibly following road traffic accidents or (sudden?) illness What is the general trend shown by the number of deceased donors over the time period covered? >very steady (range 738-796) - no real increase or decrease What is the general relationship between the number of deceased donors and the number of organs transplanted over the time period covered? >number of transplanted organs is about 2-3 x as many as number of donors How would you explain this? >Each donor gives both kidneys and possibly other organs |
