Scientists have grown a heart tissue on spinach leaves

Modern technologies, including three-dimensional printing, do not allow creating a branched network of blood vessels right up to the capillaries. This is necessary for the oxygen and nutrients delivery providing a tissue growth. A team of researchers from the US is close to solving this problem, Eurek Alert reports.

In a series of experiments, the scientists have grown working cells of the human heart on spinach leaves, in which the plant cells were removed. The scientists run fluids and microgranules which are similar to human blood cells in size on the vascular system. Also, the scientists sowed the vessels of the leaves with human cells lining the blood vessels.

According to the scientists, it is possible to use other plants. The scientists have successfully removed plant cells from parsley, sweet wormwood and peanut roots. When plant cells are removed, cellulose basically remains. It is a substance that is safe for humans. The new method is cheaper and more ecological than existing ones. It can be a breakthrough in regenerative medicine.

Source: Eurek Alert.