A "Holy Grail" Of Healing

Regenerative Powder Helped Re-Grow A Man's Fingertip, And Could Change Medicine

(CBS)  A new generation of researchers is changing the way we heal, one cell at a time. This is the second in a CBS News series on the innovative field of regenerative medicine.

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You might become a believer in the power of magic dust, when you see how a special powder re-grew the tip of Lee Spievack's finger.

He sliced off a half inch of his finger in the propeller of a hobby shop airplane. His finger never even formed a scar.

"Your finger grew back flesh, blood, vessels and nail?" CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.

"Four weeks," Spievak said.

Is this essentially what re-grew Spievak's finger.

This powder is a medical product called extracellular matrix. Made from pig bladders, it is a mix of protein and connective tissue surgeons often use to repair tendons.

But it's the matrix's unusual power to regenerate tissue that's helping launch a new field: regenerative medicine.

"It tells the body, start that process of tissue re-growth," said Dr. Stephen Badylak of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Regenerative Medicine.

Badylak believes the matrix somehow mobilizes cells, some of them adult stem cells whose job it is to maintain and repair injured tissue.

"It will change the body from thinking that its responding to inflammation and injury to thinking that it needs to re-grow normal tissue," Badylak said.

If this helped Mr Spievak's finger re-grow, could you grow a whole limb?

"In theory," Badylak said.

That theory, that it might be possible to re-grow a limb, is about to be tested by the United States Military. The Army, working in conjuction with the University of Pittsburgh, is about to use that matrix on the amputated fingers of soldiers home from the war.

Dr. Steven Wolf, at the Army Institute of Surgical Research, says the military has invested millions of dollars in Regenerative research, hoping to re-grow limbs, lost muscle, even burned skin.

"And it's hard to ignore this guys missing half his skin, this guy's missing his leg," Wolf said. "Is there any way we can make that grow back? Some of that technology exists and now its time to field it."

Several different technologies for harnessing regeneration are now in clinical trials around the world. One machine, being tested in Germany, sprays a burn patient's own cells onto a burn, signaling the skin to re-grow.

Badylak is about to implant matrix material - shaped like an esophagus - into patients with throat cancer.

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Read more about organ regeneration in Part I of the series

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"We fully expect that this material will cause the body to re-form normal esophageal tissue," Badylak said.

Some of the most advanced tests involve the heart. This patch of material is being put on - like a band aid - to regenerate heart muscle damaged by a heart attack.

And patient Mary Beth Babo is getting her own adult stem cells injected into her heart, in hopes of growing new arteries. Her surgeon is Dr. Joon Lee.

"It's what we consider the Holy Grail of our field for coronary heart disease," Lee said.

The Holy Grail, because if stem cells can re-grow arteries, there's less need for surgery.

"If people don't have to go through that, this would be the way to go for sure," Babo said.

Lee Spievak jokes he's got a 69-year-old body and a two-year-old fingertip.

But his fingertip has researchers imagining a time when re-grown limbs replace prosthetics, when re-grown tissues replace surgery, when the body does its healing with its own cells from within.

[lpzn]

Amazing-we must have missed this -it should have been front page for days- we think it is incredible- all with a persons own stem cells.

[joe32321]

Unbelievable, scar free healing is here.

[ioweign]

Made from pig bladders, it is a mix of protein and connective tissue surgeons often use to repair tendons.



Will it be accepted by certain religions ??

[ranjkin]

Humans already have the power to regenerate finger tips. The people doing this study did not do their preliminary research fully. Articles published in the 1970''s clearly demonstrate the innate ability to regenerate fingertips! (the earliest citation found on PubMed was from 1971). Maybe next time the researchers will learn to look up sources before making outlandish claims such as these.

[jlpfeffer]

I have a finger on my right hand that I cut off about 1 inch in a meat grinder. I sure would like to find out if I would qualify to have this tested on me.

[dlgaudreau]

How about a surgically removed breast?





































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[rose1936]

While travelling through Mexico I came across a brochure on Stem Enhance(TM) from STEMTech HealthSciences, Inc. How safe would it be to "support the natural release of adult stem cells" and would this take away age related illnesses such as post herpetic neuralgia. PHN is the result of shingles not clearing up after a few months. PHN is for life and I still have quite a bit of that left in me. Did you know that men who have had chicken pox as children are more likely to get shingles brought on from stress after age 60. Did you know the US found a vaccine two years ago that if taken before age 60 chances are you wouldn''t get shingles. I wouldn''t wish it on, well almost nobody. That IS supposed to be funny.

[search4truth-2009]

About 5 years ago a dentist told me they would NEVER be able to regrow bone lost to peridontal disease. I called NIH unfortunatly AFTER he killed my eye teeth to start cosmetic procedures on my upper front teeth.
NIH told me (and forwarded the litature) of a protein/enamel/matrix that regrew bone AND connective tissue that the dentist said could NEVER happen. Never say, "never".
A couple of months ago, I went to a periodontal surgeon that knew of this matrix, but didn''t know it could be used during deep cleaning procedures.
Doctor''s frequently don''t believe tests results even by peer groups because they believe in "NEVER".
Don''t let them pull this *** where your health is concerned. Look for a doctor more concerned with helping that his "belief system".

[researcher11]

It was only 105 years ago that man made the first controled powered flight. Today that aircraft and that flight could be recreated within existing aircraft. In the 105 years since that historic moment we have conqured the air and gone to the moon and back. We are in the 1903 of regenortive medicine. By 2108 0or before we might, using this new found "holy grail", be able to vastly prolong quality human life, and be working on the environmental, social, and economic changes that result. Jack Stenberg

[hober_mallow]

Personally, I hope this technique works well for our Soldiers.