Question

Medical researchers are investigating artificial substitutes for various human tissues. Why might artificial blood or skin be useful? What characteristics would these substitutes need in order to function well in the body? Why do real tissues work better? Why not use the real tissues if they work better? What other artificial tissues might be useful? What problems do you anticipate in developing and applying them?

Short answer

• Artificial blood shows a low risk of the transmission of blood-borne infections or pathogens. Artificial skin helps the treatment of dangerous skin diseases or skin damage or burn.

• The substitutes like artificial blood and skin must contain a molecule that matches human blood and skin.

• The natural tissue comprises fundamental elements or formed elements genetically. It is not possible to produce replicates precisely like them. For example, it is challenging to create a clotting mechanism in artificial blood like real blood.

• Low survival of in vivo, the low success of implantation, neovascularization, and many other technical issues inhibit the usage of actual tissues in producing substitutes.

• Cartilage is an FDA-approved artificial tissue currently used in human patients.

• It requires an experienced tissue culturist and costs a lot of money. Less resistance is shown in the cultured tissue due to contamination.

Step-by-step solution

Tissue engineering

The technique that develops or regenerates tissue or organs is called tissue engineering. It includes the knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology. Various clinical strategies are developed by incorporating using this technology.

Tissue engineering involves the creation of in vivo and in vitro artificial tissues.

Advantages of artificial blood and skin

Larger supply, disease-free blood, no risk of immune compatibility, and extended survival of red blood cells are some of the advantages of artificial blood.

Artificial skin mimics the composition of the human dermal layer. It helps treat damaged skin and burnt skin. It helps to provide the solution for skin problems.

Characters that must present in artificial substitutes of tissues

Artificial tissues must have a similar composition as living tissue. The tissues should have a vascular arrangement to allow the supply of blood and oxygen. Artificial tissues replace the need for organs without causing any immune incompatibility.

They have to divide and need to show growth, just like the normal tissue.

Importance of natural tissue

Natural tissues are better than artificial tissues because they are developed from the actual cells of the donor. They are able to absorb nutrients properly, participate in metabolic activities without any suffering.

If the tissues are obtained from the patients, the usage of the immunosuppression reduces. Natural tissues work better in the recipient due to the biological gene expression.

Disadvantages of natural tissue

The culture of natural tissue comes with various problems. Contamination and post culture behavior are significant problems of tissue culture. During the procedure, vitrification and acclimatization bring challenges for successful results. Cultured tissue fails to show vascularization.

Examples of artificial tissue

Tissue engineering is an emerging technology. The ethical and social concerns put the new technologies in controversies. However, cartilage, bone and arteries, and artificial heart are examples of artificial tissue developed so far.

FDA (Food and drug administration) has not approved all sorts of tissue engineering so far.

Challenges of tissue engineering

Low survival, contamination, high cost, a requirement of skilled bio-materialists, engineers, surgeons, and scientists are challenges of tissue engineering. Neovascularization (supply of blood and oxygen), transport limitation, and poor tissue integration are associated with developing artificial tissue.

Ethical issues using human material, informed consent, and dealing with human embryos and stem cells are considered moral problems.