Scientists grow ‘mini organs’ in stem cell breakthrough that could save millions

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In a world first scientists have grown “mini organs” using human stem cells taken during pregnancy, in what could be a breakthrough for prenatal medicine. open image in gallery The red colouration indicates a lung stem cell marker used to identify the tissue type, as "mini organs" have been grown for the first time using human stem cells Because the child is not touched during the collection process, sampling restrictions can be overcome and the cells carry the same biological information as the child. open image in gallery Researchers took live cells from 12 pregnancies – between the 16th week and the 34th week – as part of routine diagnostic testing The team worked with researchers at KU Leuven in Belgium to study the development of babies with CDH, a condition where a hole in the diaphragm means organs like the intestine and liver get displaced into the chest, putting pressure on the lungs and hindering healthy growth. NIHR Professor Paolo de Coppi, senior author of the study from UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: “This is the first time that we’ve been able to make a functional assessment of a child’s congenital condition before birth, which is a huge step forward for prenatal medicine.