Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello! My partner and I are doing the project " bioengineering stem cells into a kidney." This project is due Tuesday December 17th 2013.We are wondering if the picture/video of the bladder (we don't know what the model is made of but it is what the stem cells where put on) that the bioengineers placed stem cells on (in the video on the background page of the project). Is it taken out before being put into the body or if they keep that model on and put the human body? And if they keep the model in the body is it biodegradable?

Thank you
Mackinley

Hi, Sorry, this may get to you a day late! In the video, they do say it is a biodegradable scaffold, which sounds like it is going to degrade away at some point when the scaffold is no longer needed. This may be the case with that organ, but in the text when they refer to the windpipe, the scaffold they used was from a donor, and that scaffold (a basement membrane) was implanted and remains in the patient today. It is required to hold the cells in the nedcessary shape.

Good luck on your project.

Tonya