Regenerative Medicine

            Regenerative medicine is a branch of translational research in tissue engineering and molecular biology that deals with "the process of replacing, building or regenerating human cells, animals, tissues or organs to restore normal function". This area maintains a promise to technically damage tissues and organs by stimulating the body's own repair mechanisms to functionally heal tissues or organs that were previously irreparable. Regenerative medicine also includes the ability to grow and implant tissues and organs in the laboratory when the body cannot heal. When cellular sources for regenerating organs are extracted from the patient's own tissues or cells, the challenge of rejecting organ transplants through immunological incompatibility is avoided. This approach can overcome the problem of the lack of organs available to donate. This field maintains the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by replacing damaged tissue or stimulating the body's own healing mechanism to heal tissues or organs. Regenerative medicine can also enable scientists to grow tissues and organs in the laboratory and safely implant them when the body cannot heal.