They have achieved this by using stem cell technology - a branch of research that has tremendous potential to solve many of medicine's most intractable problems.
Stem cells are immature cells that have yet to take on permanent characteristics of their own.
In this state, they could potentially be manipulated by scientists to become almost any type of cell in the body. Therefore, the technology could potentially be harnessed to repair and regenerate damaged tissue throughout the body. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh successfully used stem cells to cure incontinence in laboratory experiments on animal tissue. The stem cells were used to generate muscle to replace damaged tissue in the urethral sphincter. When this sphincter is not working properly, it can lead to urinary incontinence.