Free Republic

-snip- Q. Will stem cells eventually play a role in relieving ankle or foot pain? A. I was once told that all the metal and plastic inserts we are using in orthopedic surgery would be laughed at in 20 years, similar to the way we look at wooden teeth now. This is because the goal of medicine is to regenerate ourselves. Tissue engineering and work with stem cells are actually giving us that opportunity. In orthopedics, the problem with cartilage, the translucent rubbery material that covers and protects the ends of bone, is that it doesn’t want to regenerate. We...