Organogenesis Essay

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Organogenesis takes its roots from two Greek words: organon, an instrument, tool, or organ, and genesis, a beginning or creation. With this in mind, one can intuitively infer the basic meaning of the word organogenesis; that is, the creation of an organ. What it means in context to medicine, however, may not be so easily predicted. If any man (or woman, for that matter) of medicine fifteen years ago was asked about the meaning of organogenesis, he or she may tell you that it is the development of organs in an embryo. This is because just a few years ago, the only known way of creating organs was to bring a new organism into the world. If the question was asked today, however, the response might be something like “Which kind?”, as there now exists more than one way to create organs. The field of bioengineering has produced amazing advancements in regenerative medicine. The knowledge of the medical field is now to a point where organs can be created in a lab from only artificial materials and stem cells. This growing of organs is now referred to as organogenesis, and it is the solution to a myriad of medical problems. A Brief History of Regenerative Medicine Since the beginning of civilization, doctors have been searching for ways to repair, recreate, or otherwise replace damaged parts of the body. Procedures which seem complex even by today’s standards, such as a skin graft for facial reconstruction, have been performed since as long as 1000 years ago. The concept of regeneration has even been acknowledged as far back as the 8th century BC in the Greek myth of Prometheus, in which Prometheus was punished by having an eagle, Ethos, eat his liver each day, only to have it regenerate by nighttime and be pecked out again the next day.... ... middle of paper ... ...n easily printed and transplanted, more complex organs cannot yet be made due to their many parts. Currently, kidneys and livers are in highest demand, but are unable to be printed (Organ Bioprinting). The best course of action currently is to inject stem cells into patients with liver or kidney damage, rather than trying to print new organs. Bioengineering is a truly fascinating and prolific field, from which we will be sure to see many advances in the future. Currently, researchers are even devising a process of scanning large wounds and printing stem cells directly onto the patient to repair it. Many things that were previously science fiction are now becoming a reality thanks to a massive team of doctors, researchers, and engineers working to implement organogenesis into common medicine, truly making this exciting new process the future of regenerative medicine.

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