Penises grown in laboratories could soon be tested on men who have suffered a an injury, have genital abnormalities or have undergone surgery to remove cancerous tissue.
The technique is being pioneered by researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in North Carolina. They have been engineering penile tissue for animals including rabbits for many years in order to assess how effective, safe and long-lasting it can be.
The plan is to get approval from regulators to allow the team to move into human testing within five years.
The approach involves taking small samples of smooth muscle and endothelial cells from a patient’s erectile tissue and then growing them in the laboratory.
Cells are injected into a three-dimensional scaffold, which provides support and structure while the tissue develops. Once grown, it can be implanted back into the patient.
In the rabbit trials, the animals that underwent the surgery went on to have normal sexual function and produced offspring.
The key challenge is getting the structure and mix of cells right to ensure that the tissue behaves as naturally as possible. This requires enough blood vessel pressure to allow for a normal erection .
“Further studies are required, of course, but the results suggest that the technology may be useful in the future for patients who need penile reconstruction,” said Anthony Atala, a urologist and director of the Institute.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/lab-grown-penises-could-help-men-4388796#ixzz3GHLyl3ta
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