Doctors announced this week that they have created a bladder using living cells, the closest they've come yet to making a fully functioning organ. The bladder was tailor-made using the cells of a woman suffering from spina bifida. The researchers say that the replacement organ seems to be well tolerated by the human body, and it did work as a functioning bladder.

In this hour, we'll take a look at tissue engineering. How close are scientists to making organs to order, or getting limbs to regrow? Plus, a look at bionics. We'll talk with the inventor of a computer controlled hand for amputees, and hear about the latest in bionic eyes. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Stephen Badylak
Research Professor, Department of Surgery
Director, Pre-Clinical Tissue Engineering
McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Michael Lysaght
Professor, Medical Science and Engineering
Director, Center for Biomedical Engineering
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

William Craelius
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Rutgers University
Piscataway, New Jersey

Daniel Palanker
Assistant Professor
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine
Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Books/Articles Discussed:

Atala, A et al "Tissue-engineered autologous bladders for patients needing cystoplasty" Lancet 2006; Published Online April 4, 2006

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

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This segment produced by Annette Heist