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Was the new finger a 'natural' miracle?
By Caroline Parkinson
Health reporter, BBC News
The story of the man who re-grew a finger using "pixie-dust" has captured the imagination of many this week.
But a number of scientists have cast cold-water over the claims - and said it may have been a "natural" miracle.
Lee Spievak, 69, chopped off part of his finger - said to be almost down to the first joint - in a model aeroplane accident in 2005.
His brother was working in the field of regenerative medicine, with Dr Stephen Badylak at the University of Pittsburgh.
They provided Mr Spievak, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the "pixie-dust" - more accurately called extracellular matrix, which he sprinkled on his finger.
Extracellular matrix is, essentially, the support structure for cells which is present in all animal and human tissue.
Within weeks, it is said the tip of the finger - including bone, tissue, skin and nail grew back.
'A common-or-garden injury'
Dr Badylak's team had previously been working on regenerating much simpler biological structures using the extracellular matrix.
That is something that numerous teams of scientists across the world have been pursuing for decades.
Extracellular matrix is just one of the "scaffolds" for supporting new cell growth.
But re-growing a fingertip would be a significant step forward.
Read Complete article here:
*news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7379745.stm
By Caroline Parkinson
Health reporter, BBC News
The story of the man who re-grew a finger using "pixie-dust" has captured the imagination of many this week.
But a number of scientists have cast cold-water over the claims - and said it may have been a "natural" miracle.
Lee Spievak, 69, chopped off part of his finger - said to be almost down to the first joint - in a model aeroplane accident in 2005.
His brother was working in the field of regenerative medicine, with Dr Stephen Badylak at the University of Pittsburgh.
They provided Mr Spievak, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the "pixie-dust" - more accurately called extracellular matrix, which he sprinkled on his finger.
Extracellular matrix is, essentially, the support structure for cells which is present in all animal and human tissue.
Within weeks, it is said the tip of the finger - including bone, tissue, skin and nail grew back.
'A common-or-garden injury'
Dr Badylak's team had previously been working on regenerating much simpler biological structures using the extracellular matrix.
That is something that numerous teams of scientists across the world have been pursuing for decades.
Extracellular matrix is just one of the "scaffolds" for supporting new cell growth.
But re-growing a fingertip would be a significant step forward.
Read Complete article here:
*news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7379745.stm
