HEPARIN-BINDING FACTORS IN TISSUE REPAIR, REGENERATION AND BIOENGINEERING

摘要

Methods for constructing stable bioactive mammalian embryonic epithelial tissues and organs are described herein as well as constructing "designer" kidneys, and treating renal failure in vivo with heparin-binding growth factors. A new active epithelial growth factor having the capability of effectuating induction of growth and morphogenesis has been described. As an example, construction of a kidney is described. A kidney so constructed requires no artificial support, nor porous man-made membranes or tubing to effectuate its biological function of filtering body fluids. A single donor embryonic kidney, or fragment thereof, can produce a great number of functional kidneys suitable for treating subjects with various kidney disorders. The in vivo produced kidney would be less, or not at all, antigenic when transplanted into a subject, because of its embryonic character and artificial propagation in culture. This method of producing a functional organ can be useful in cloning other organ structures containing inducible epithelial tissues.