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Scientists Bring Dying Organs Back to Life in New Experiments

They infused new mitochondria, parts of cells that provide energy, into the dying cells to revive them.

In animal experiments at Boston Children’s Hospital, doctors have discovered a new way to restore dying organs: by injecting their cells with mitochondria. Mitochondria, the energy centers of cells, could work by helping to infuse new life to dying organs by reviving them. Doctors looked at images of dying cells and noticed that their mitochondria were smaller and lighter in color than normal, so they took healthy mitochondria and added them to damaged ones, reviving the failing hearts of the pigs. That method is being done on children, and seems to help restore heart muscles in infants suffering from congenital heart defects, according to The New York Times. Next steps include plans for clinical trials and to even design experiments to potentially sidestep bypass and valve surgeries for adults.