Researchers make breakthrough on treating infant hearts
Tuesday 7th February 2012
Scientists in Texas have devised a new method of combating problems in infant hearts by using stem cells.
The team at Rice University, the state's children's hospital, has managed to turn the cells from amniotic fluid into devices that form blood vessels. This new method offers new hope that they can create tissue protecting an infant's heart.
It is hoped that this process can help fight problems such as sudden infant death syndrome which can occur in the first six months of a baby being born. In the UK, over 300 new born infants died from the condition in 2007 but scientists hope that by using stem cells in this way it can prevent these deaths from becoming more prevalent.
Rice bioengineer Jeffrey Jacot believes that the cells grow at a rate that can repair a heart defect over a period of time to prevent the disease from killing.
Mr Jacot said: "We've done calculations to show that, with what we get from amniocentesis, we could more than grow an entire heart by birth. It gives us confidence that we will be able to quickly grow patches of tissue outside of the body that can then be sewn inside."
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Written by James Puckle
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