research, researchers have successfully grown simple organs derived from autologous human pluripotent stem cells. So far bladder and trachea have been developed. This method attempts to address tissue rejection, and there are already cases of successful transplantation. A research team from Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, successfully transplanted stem cell-engineered bladders to seven pediatric patients with malfunctioning bladders. Another case was from a team at University College, London, UK, which transplanted a wind pipe derived from the patient's own stem cells. Even with all the advantages to explant culture, there still are several caveats. The downside of explant culture is that it does not provide sufficient time to study chronic diseases. Although two to three weeks may be enough time to study acute changes, it is not fit for experiments requiring long-term observations. Current research Retina Many neurobiological processes have been studied with retinal explant cultures. Understanding retina's development has led the way for researchers to study pathological neurodegeneration and related retinal diseases more closely. Cellular grafts derived from retinal stem cell therapy is an active area of research to treat macular degeneration, retinitis, pigmentosa, and glaucoma. References Cell culture