Mouse heart made from HUMAN stem cells grown by scientists

U.S. scientists removed the heart from the mouse and stripped it of its cells before treating the heart with human stem cells and made it beat again The breakthrough could lead to the development of transplant organs for patients thanks to stem cells produced from simple skin biopsies University of Pittsburgh researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells - adult stem cells that act like embryonic ones

By Sarah Griffiths

PUBLISHED: 10:27 EST, 13 August 2013 | UPDATED: 11:03 EST, 13 August 2013

U.S. scientists have 'grown' a beating mouse heart from human stem cells, leading many to hope that human organs could one day be created.

The heart - which had been removed from the mouse and stripped of its cells - was treated with human stem cells and started to beat again.

The breakthrough could lead to the development of transplant organs for patients thanks to stem cells produced from simple skin biopsies.

Scientists have 'grown' a beating mouse heart from human stem cells, leading many to hope that human organs could one day be regrown. This image shows a closely packed layer of cells in the cardiac muscles

These specialised cells - induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells - are adult stem cells which act like embryonic ones, gaining the ability to become any cell in the human body. But embryos do not have to be destroyed to create a supply.

In principle iPS cells could be used to treat a wide range of disorders, from diabetes to Parkinson's.

Rather than managing the symptoms of the disease, the cells would be used to regenerate the affected parts of the body.

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Mouse heart made from HUMAN stem cells grown by scientists