Cell Based Regenerative Healing, and Organ Growing
Written by: Aron Brown
Apligraf® living tissue treatment
The cell-based or “systems-based” healing techniques are still a growing field. There is not much research going on due to the unbelievable amount of regulations scientists have to go through in order to bring these techniques to patients. Enter Organogenesis, founded in 1985 they are the first company to have a living, allogeneic, cell based product approved by the FDA. This product is known as Apligraf®, and it is a “bi-layered bio-engineered cell based product” used in the treatment of venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers. These wounds for one reason or another do not heal on their own; however through the use of this product, a group of living cells working together (“systems-based”) with the body, “wounds previously unresponsive to treatment” will heal.
Apligraf® is a 44 square centimeter circular bio-engineered cell construct, which when placed on a wound integrates into the wound thus helping the wound to heal. Apligraf® has been used in over 200,000 patients. On average, each patient is treated with one to two applications of this living cell therapy.
Organogenesis is also looking into using Apligraf® for treating burn victims and epidermolysis bullosa “a rare genetic disease characterized by the presence of extremely fragile skin and recurrent blister formation, resulting from minor mechanical friction or trauma.”
Along with Organogenesis’s research into “systems-based” healing techniques, other scientists have set their sights on a goal that is much more daring, the growing of replacement organs. You know that old ink jet printer you have laying around at home collecting dust. Well Dr. Anthony Atala has been using one just like it to literally print organs. Don’t believe me? Check out the video by Time.com where they talk with Dr. Atala and show how the entire process works.
Where could this lead us in the future? I don’t know but I am glad to be living in such an amazing time of discovery.
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