DNA Tech: Bigger Boobies

Stem cells turn into breast implants

Silicon breast implants could be replaced by tissue grown from a person's own stem cells within a decade, suggests new research.

Jeremy Mao of the University of Illinois, in Chicago, US, took human stem cells and used these to grow fat tissue using a biologically compatible scaffolding. He then successfully implanted the tissue into mice with an immune deficiency to prevent them from rejecting the implants. The implants had maintained their size and shape after four weeks.

'This is a project that builds on previous knowledge to develop a stem cell material that could be useful in society,' says Mao. "It seems promising and could soon be making an impact."
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Eventually Mao says the technique could be used to develop more suitable tissue for reconstructive surgery as well as cosmetic augmentation.

The experiment involved key-hole surgery to extract mesenchymal stem cells from human bone marrow. These 'master cells' can grow into various other different types of cells, including bone cartridge and fat. Mao coaxed them to develop into fat cells by mimicking the conditions that would cause this to happen in the human body.