twisted!

Some dudes in Minnesota actually did something really REALLY cool:

They decellularized a heart, leaving all the extracellular matrix behind (all the "glue" holding the cells together), and upon introducing the decellularized heart with progenitor cells from the same organism, they were able to re-create the entire cellularized heart, capable of pumping on its OWN!!! :O

That's stupendous. Ingenius actually. It was almost expected that that would happen, but ironically one doesn't realize the significance of making such discoveries until they're made. I wonder why? *contemplates*

But the above absolutely revolutionizes cardiac care. Think about all the heart transplants..it's amazing how many complications arise because of the immune system's reaction to a foreign heart (or any organ). The ECM instead simply provides the cells enough support to grow "normally" but when I read said article (cited below) a really small part of me wondered if that growth could go uncontrolled? But no it couldn't right? It'd only occur where there's ECM? ....*sheepish cluelessness & all-knowingness together* :P

article cited from: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/researchers-create-beating-heart-lab-15218.html

Aanywho, sample of my temporary fav. artist:

Consequence, The Notwist