To demonstrate a new method for fabricating three-dimensional living biological structures, researchers at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) have created a 5-millimeter tall doll composed of living cells.
According to an announcement made on January 22, the researchers created the tiny figurine by cultivating 100,000 cell capsules -- 0.1-millimeter balls of collagen, each coated with dozens of skin cells -- together inside a doll-shaped mold for one day. After the cell capsules had coalesced to form the doll-shaped mass of tissue, it was placed in a culture solution, where it reportedly survived for more than a day.
The researchers, led by IIS professor Shoji Takeuchi, also successfully tested the biofabrication method with human liver cells. According to Takeuchi, the technique can be used to create bodily organs and tissues with complex cellular structures, which may prove useful in the fields of regenerative medicine and drug development.
"The overall shape can be controlled by changing the mold," said Takeuchi, who expressed a desire to combine multiple types of cells to create a complex system that functions as a living organism.
Phil E. Drifter
Totally photoshopped; i would know, I've seen a few photoshopped images in my day. Totally photoshooped.
[]Oz
Well, someone had to say it.
[]I guess better sooner than later.
This is sort of like Godwin's Law, only with Photoshop.
If it doesn't have a name, I proclaim this The Adoobie Law!
Strychnos
You utter utter good for nothing, waste of human skin morons. Yes you Oz and Phil. If I see another post that says photoshopped I think I'm going to sell my computer and go and live as a hermit off the land somewhere where I don't have to come across idiots like you. There is no reason to photoshop this. They do not claim that the little green mass of cells can get up and walk off (or bounce around as the flubber bit suggests). The shape is purely jeewhizz and arbitrary (thats the meaning of 'mold'). They are illustrating a principal. Please note the granulation on the figure; that will account for the little micro capsules. Also note that this photograph was taken 'in situ' which means it is still floating in or submersed in whatever medium it is in. Given the small size (5mm) means that they probably photographing through a microscope. This image is both top and back lit, which, together with the constraints placed by photographing under a microscope accounts for the strange glowing effect.
Now commenting on the usefulness of this experiment would make more sense. Personally I can't see it and I suspect the gist was omitted from the article (or maybe it was lost in translation). It does not state whether any physiological processes were in operation and how they jugged the doll to be alive. How is it different taking single cells and clumping them together? This article hints at multi-cellular organization, i.e. creating tissue and not just single cells. For any functional organization this assumes chemical exchange (purposeful chemical exchange?) between the cells. What I'm getting at is that this article says nothing. It was either pounced on by some journalist seeking a fantasy story or a lab seeking cheap publicity threw it out there.
[]Timothy
That's absolutely bonkers. I hope this leads to some amazing things.
[]CC
@Strychnos, you are wrong to go after Oz. He is only poking fun at the fact that vermin like Phil are so prevalent on the internets. As for the experiment, the little bio-effigy smells like a media stunt to me, although I'd say any step toward being able to organize cells into tissues and organs is pretty damn "useful". Surely there's more to the story here, but we can't really expect the Japanese mass media to bother themselves with the details. It's not really their job.
[]Amused
Oz, people like you are the reason people like Phil E. Drifter even go on line. it's just so fun to see some people's reactions.
[]schaadrak
If it's made of skin cells, why is it green? Do Japanese people have green skin? Or are they trying to build a Leprechaun?!
[]Robert Frost
ALL THESE COMMENTS HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN PHOTOSHOPPED.
[]FreeBird
Right on Robert Frost!!! Hilarious!!!
[]God
funny thing is...I used Photoshop to create the world, you're all fucked!
[]Satan
YOU ARE WRONG!!!! THE PHOTOSHOP CREATER LIVES WITH ME AND TRUST ME... HE DOESNT BELIEVE ONE WORD OF WHAT YOUR SAYING! IF YOU READ THIS THEN YOU WILL DIE IN SEVEN DAYS...Not really im just taking wild guesses cus this might actually happen and that would be weird..WAIT! HOLD ON! IM GETTING OUT OF CHARACTER!!!!!! I CANT DO THAT GOD DAMN FINE THEN BE THAT WAY OK ITS ALL COOL WHATEVER C YA
[]SirMixitup
GUMBY LIVES!
[]Anon
lol@Strychnos
[]Those of you who get so upset at the photoshop commenters need to understand that the people who claim everything is photoshopped are in no way serious.
Mark
Looks like a green gummy to me. mmmm... tasty new wasabe skin flavour
[]The Arabic Student
This is why I want to learn Japanese. They are on the cutting edge of biotech!
[]pakodoom
@arabic student or you could just learn biology and chemical engineering or something...put yourself on the edge of biotech rather than learning how to read about it more easily
[]uguysareretards
it's green because that's the light from the microscope retards. It's not a normal light microscope that they used to capture the image.
[]Mimi
It's not photoshop. I use CS3 and let me tell you, you can't always say it's a program. Sometimes science, well, prevails. Or, however someone'd like to put it. Science has evolved from what it once was. So has software, but science, in a way, created software and everything we have today. Besides, it's not photoshoped. There's always something that gives it away. Too smooth here, too rugged there... you get me?
[]Boboman
Ha so they made a doll out of cells. next thing you now they will be making a documentary abaout chucky.
[]biotech career
It seems that you are maintaining a steady blogging pace. Well done! Looking for more updates from your end. Thanks a lot! regards
[]Bre
hahaha this is hilarious lmao
[]