Cell Block

MIT researchers have developed a technique for building up tissue using hydrogel-encapsulated embryonic stem cells.  They place ESC’s in microwells and cover them with gelatin.  After the gelatin hardens, they flip the wells and coat the other side with polyethylene glycol.  This causes cells to being an angiogenesis process on the gelatin side, and, with differentiating chemicals, produce muscle on the other side.  Then, the idea is to create layers of tissue in sufficient volume to form an organ, such as a heart.            MORE

Image Credit: Hao Qi and Technology Review