Introduction:


The development of artificial organs in the laboratory is the main invention in the medical science. An artificial organ is a man-made organ that can be used to replace the torn or damaged natural organ in humans. Scientists and researchers are doing many experiments with these artificial organs or artificial body parts, with the dream of creating a fully functional human being using these artificial organs.
In this article technologies used in the production of artificial retina, artificial limb and other body parts are discussed.

Artificial Retina:

U.S. researchers successfully developed artificial retina, now waiting for commercialization. Researchers have urbanized a bionic eye with the capacity to restore sight to the blind. This new device has got the approval or green signal by the American regulators to test this unique device on patients.

The artificial retina Argus II is expected to cure two types of blindness in people caused by diseases like Macular Degeneration or Retinitis Pigmentosa. Macular Degeneration is a type of condition in which the light sensing cells in the region known as macula malfunctions and over a period of time these cells completely stops functioning. The second condition known as Retinitis Pigmentosa is an advanced form of tunnel vision or night blindness. Many patients with this disease that is Retinitis Pigmentosa do not become completely blind until they reach their 40s or 50s.

Researcher's final aim is to make these patients suffering from these conditions to recognize faces and also with the help of electrodes to respond to the light of different frequencies or wavelengths. Finally to allow the patients to recognise and see all the different shades of colors.

Artificial limbs:

A new research led by the scientists of United States developed artificial limbs in their laboratory. Now this is in clinical trial stage. This new research and discovery put forth a new ray of hope in the amputees, since they are eagerly waiting for a new technology that could be used to generate a new full limb. Scientists have fully grown extra arm on salamanders with the help of a natural media that is extracted from the bladders of the pig. This research is related with re-growing a whole finger but growing fingers that are less than an inch long. But the results of these researches are very promising as these results could be proven as stepping stone for further research. In further research scientists could find a new technique to re-grow a whole finger.

These research and findings might open many doors for replacement of not only damaged heart parts but also spinal cords and other damaged vital human body parts.

Artificial Body Parts Using Stem Cells:

Recently a team of British scientists discovered a technique to grow valve of a heart from a patient's own stem cells, led to the possibility of growing a whole functioning heart using stem cells in the next ten years of time. Moreover these artificial hearts grown using stem cells are considered better than the artificial organs. These artificial organs are more prone to organ rejection, replacements along with other immunological complications.
If growing whole functional heart in laboratory becomes possible, in the same way we can grow other vital organs like lungs or brain or even spinal cord in the laboratory. Heart patients or even normal humans can replace their weak heart with a stronger one produced in the laboratory.

Anyways only prototype have been developed, further research and development are required in the future. Another major limitation with the usage and research with stem cells is some of the basic ethical questions like questions related to the embryo usage.

Conclusion:

By using many techniques of recent science branches like biotechnology, nanotechnology, medical science one fine day scientists will produce functioning artificial organs in the laboratory and which can be further used to treat patients suffering from abnormal or damaged organs.

According to me the day is not too far when scientists will regenerate each and every human body parts or organs in the laboratory. These artificial organs can be used to replace the damaged or non functional human body parts and these techniques will improve the quality of life of patients with damaged body organs.

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