Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Skin Cells Genetically Modified To Fight Infection
Genetically modified skin cells added to cultured skin substitutes may fight potentially lethal infections in patients with severe burns.
(Genetically modified skin cell may protect from infection)
Dorothy Supp, PhD, and her team discovered that skin cells genetically altered to produce higher levels of human beta defensin (HBD4 - a protein) killed more bacteria than ordinary skin cells. She remarks
“If we can add these genetically modified cells to bioengineered skin substitutes, it would provide an important defense system boost during the initial grafting period, when the skin is most susceptible to infection."In a three-year study, Supp isolated the HBD4 gene from donated tissue samples, and transferred it to surface skin cells to enhance the skin's infection-fighting abilities. The test cells were then infected with a type of bacteria commonly found in hospitals and allowed to incubate. Analysis demonstrated that the genetically altered cells with HBD4 were more resistant to microbial infection.
(Researcher Dorothy Supp looks for better ways to control burn infections)
Dr. Supp is a University of Cincinnati (UC) faculty member and researcher at Cincinnati Shriners Hospital for Children. She believes that defensins could become an effective alternative method for burn care and infection control.
This research is being announced in the January issue of the Journal of Burn Care and Research.
The use of cultured skin substitutes for patients with large-scale burns has been in use since the 1980's. Patients with burns covering large areas of their bodies are especially prone to serious infections, often resulting in death.
Cultured skin substitutes are actually grown apart from the patient in the laboratory, using cells from the patient's own skin to guard against rejection by the body. The cells multiply and are combined with a collagen matrix consisting of a spongy sheet and gel. The resulting "skin" is grafted directly onto the patient.
Science fiction writers have used the idea of artificial skin since the 1970's. Frank Herbert used the idea in his 1977 novel The Dosadi Experiment, calling it uniflesh. John Varley expanded on the concept in 1984, combining the idea of a skin substitute with a data screen - creating the idea of readout skin:
I'm the only report I know who still uses his handwriter except to take notes… I snapped the fingers of my left hand… Three rows of four colored dots appeared on the heel of my left hand. By pressing the dots in different combinations with my fingertips I was able to write the story in shorthand, and watch the loops and lines scrawl themselves on a strip of readout skin on my wrist...
(Read more about Varley's readout skin)
If you are interested in futuristic forms of skin substitutes, read on:
- Dattoos Personal Skinprint Technology Concept
Dattoos, DNA-based tattoos, may one day create seamless connectivity. - Robot Skin Soft Like Yours
If you hate being touched by your robot because of its cold metallic skin, take heart.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 1/9/2007)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Medical ")
Drug Induces Hibernation-Like State In Humans
'... drugged and chilled and stowed in sleep tanks.' - Robert Heinlein, 1951.
Drug To Regenerate Teeth In Humans
'We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence,' said lead researcher Katsu Takahashi.
Illustrating Classic Heinlein With AI
'Stasis, cold sleep, hibernation, hypothermia, reduced metabolism, call it what you will - the logistics-medicine research teams had found a way to stack people like cordwood and use them when needed.' - Robert Heinlein, 1956
Brainoware Reservoir Computation Of Biological Neural Networks
'Head cheese. Cultured brains on a slab.' - Peter Watts, 1999.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Ultra-Realistic Robotic Arowana Robo-Fish
'Deveet unhooked his catch and laid it on the bank beside him. It was a metal fish.'
GITAI R1 Lunar Rover Like NASA Robonaut Centaur
'...waldoes in the screen followed in exact, simultaneous parallelism.'
Meshworm Soft Robot, With Peristaltic Crawling, Is Getting Better
'Seen close it was not completely flexible, but made instead of pivoted and smoothly finished segments.'
Mushroom 'Robot' Is Just A Start
'Some unknown race ... decided to help them out.'
Tesla Electric 'Giga Train' Operational In Germany
'...the cars are wedge-shaped at both ends.'
DOTPad Braille Device Offers Live Access
Amazing tactile display.
Biohybrid Robot Combines Living Muscle With Artificial Materials
'...great rectangular slabs of muscle, slung into a rectangular frame.'
Biohybrid Robots Made Of Living And Synthetic Materials
'If the biological robots were not living creatures, they were certainly very good imitations.'
Drug Induces Hibernation-Like State In Humans
'... drugged and chilled and stowed in sleep tanks.'
Poul Anderson's 'Brain Wave'
"Everybody and his dog, it seemed, wanted to live out in the country; transportation and communication were no longer isolating factors."
AI Note-Taking From Google Meet
'... the new typewriter that could be talked to, and which transposed the spoken sound into typed words.'
Qore IcePlates Are Personal Cooling Suits
'... underneath they consisted of networks of cooling tubes against the skin.'
P1 Just The Latest Robot To Take A Beating From Humans
'...we mere people come second.'
Waymo Cars Shout At Each Other, Autonomously
'My cars talk to one another. I have no doubt about it...'
Your Solar Electric Paint Is Ready, Larry Niven
'...you spray it on.'
How Long Till We Have These Tattoos?
Truth or fiction?
