Scientists Tissue Engineer Human Intestines and Functioning Nerves

November 22, 2016

(Science Daily) – Scientists report in Nature Medicine using human pluripotent stem cells to grow human intestinal tissues that have functioning nerves in a laboratory, and then using these to recreate and study a severe intestinal nerve disorder called Hirschsprung’s disease. Published online Nov. 21, the findings describe an unprecedented approach to engineer and study tissues in the intestine — the body’s largest immune organ, its food processor and main interface with the outside world.