Growing human organs in the laboratory has moved a step closer with the development of a biodegradable material forming a non-living "scaffold" on which beating heart muscle can be grown from stem cells.
The aim is to make three-dimensional organs from scratch, although in the shorter-term scientists will be happy to be able to seed the scaffolding with stem cells in order to mend broken hearts in situ rather than relying on a transplant operation.
Stem-cell technique may end need for heart donors
