Taking a giant leap in tissue engineering from organ repair to organ creation a researcher has designed a 'mini heart' to help return blood flow from veins lacking functional valves. 'We can make a new heart outside of one's own heart' said lead researcher Narine Sarvazyan a professor of pharmacology and physiology at the George Washington University. A rhythmically contracting cuff made of cardiac muscle cells surrounds the vein acting as a 'mini heart' to aid blood flow through venous segments. The cuff can be made of a patient's own adult stem cells eliminating the chance of implant rejection the study noted.
