Researchers create artificial bone marrow

Researchers have successfully created artificial human bone marrow that can continuously produce red and white blood cells.

Professor Nicholas Kotov of the University of Michigan and colleagues produced the bone marrow in a test tube by growing it on a 3-D scaffold that mimics the tissues that support bone marrow in the body.

The artificial bone marrow was designed to be used in the laboratory and was not created to provide transplantable marrow. However, it is hoped that the artificial marrow will aid drug testing, allow for closer study of immune system defects, and provide a continuous supply of blood for transfusion.

"This is the first successful artificial bone marrow," Professor Kotov said. "It has two of the essential functions of bone marrow. It can replicate blood stem cells and produce B cells. The latter are the key immune cells producing antibodies that are important to fighting many diseases."

News release: Biomedical Researchers Create Artificial Human Bone Marrow in a Test Tube. University of Michigan. December 23rd 2008.
     
Nichols JE, Cortiella J, Lee J, et al. In vitro analog of human bone marrow from 3D scaffolds with biomimetic inverted colloidal crystal geometry. Biomaterials. 2009;30:1071-1079. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.10.041

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