Natural Breast Tissue Grown From Stem Cells

By Kristine Pedrick

Published on August 09, 2007

While many women want to increase the size and fullness of their breasts, some find the unnatural shape and “obvious look” of silicone and saline breast implants unappealing. Have scientists discovered a way for these women to grow their own breast tissue?

New research suggests that, within a decade, tissue grown from a person’s own stem cells could provide a viable alternative to breast implants. In a procedure pioneered in Japan, a specially designed scaffolding system was used to grow stem cells into fat tissue by mimicking the conditions that naturally trigger this process in the body. This fat tissue was then implanted into mice. After four weeks, the implanted tissue had retained its size and shape, leading scientists to believe that this same process could be used as an effective breast-enhancement technique in humans. Ideally, once the process has been refined, the scaffold used to grow the fat tissue would safely break down inside the body as the implanted tissue grew.

This innovative technique has the potential to provide breast enhancement patients with smoother, softer, more natural-looking breasts. The tissue grown would be an integral part of the breast, rather than a foreign mass, because the stem cells extracted from the body would enable the fat to develop its own blood supply. This is welcome news for women who desire fuller breasts but don’t like the look and feel of traditional implants. Moreover, breast enhancement with the help of stem cells poses no risk of capsular contraction, leakage, or interference with breast cancer detection, as traditional silicone implants sometimes do. This technique could also be employed in breast reconstruction after cancer surgery and to repair facial disfigurements.

Although doctors are enthusiastic about this potentially revolutionary advancement, it will be years before the procedure’s long-term effectiveness and possible side effects are known.