But their most successful efforts to date have been in growing skin, which has been used on burns victims and those diabetic foot ulcers. Foetal tissue Sourcing the cells to start with, however, has been a major hurdle. Pro-life groups have objected to the use of foetal tissue, and the size and strength of this lobby has made the use of these cells very difficult in North America. But the need for donor tissue is growing. Every 11 minutes, someone new gets added to the list of patients in the United States waiting for a transplant.
Many scientists have high hopes for stem cell research.
If these cells can be controlled and directed, lab-grown tissue may well become very big business. Although, any benefits are sure to come too late for some.