Creation of body parts from scratch

[MirceaKitsune]

I once heard something about this in a documentary on TV, and it's an idea I find fascinating and amazing even if slightly creepy too. Today's technology allows advanced biological manipulation and medical procedures to be possible... even things such as cloning to some extent. But what about creating and growing functional organs and body parts from scratch? Or, an even more daring question, creating complete forms of life in the lab other than just simple bacteria?

 

By "from scratch" I mean creating an organ or body using man-made devices and primary matter only... maybe with existing biological parts (like ADN) involved. For instance, I've heard about medicine being able to renew donated organs for transplant... by washing them clean of any content and keeping them in a container until the patient is ready to receive them. But that's a different thing from what I'm wondering.

 

Here's one way in which I think this could be possible: Bones. A device could simulate the chemical procedure the body executes to grow bones, which should allow obtaining bones of any shape and size of the exact same material as normal bones. Something similar could already be possible for muscles / skin / tissue / etc. Not sure how far it goes for more complex parts though.

 

Do current medical instruments and knowledge allow scientists to design biological parts or bodies and maybe even small simple creatures entirely? What is the most ever achieved in this domain? Any upcoming technologies in this sense too?

[Endy0816]

Here is a link to some of what has been accomplished:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissue_engineering#Examples

 

The field is still pretty new though.

[MirceaKitsune]

Here is a link to some of what has been accomplished:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tissue_engineering#Examples

 

The field is still pretty new though.

 

Thank you. That gives a pretty good idea as to where the technology is at this day. And it doesn't sound bad at all!