They took a bladder biopsy from each patient and isolated muscle cells and special bladder cells called urothelial cells, which they grew in the lab.
The cells were then placed onto a specially designed bladder-shaped scaffold and left to grow for seven to eight weeks.
The researchers surgically attached the engineered bladder to the patient’s own bladder and followed progress for up to five years.
They’re working on hearts as well. This sort of thing seems inevitable to me, and it’s exciting that it seems to be coming along very quickly, because I (curiously, like everyone I know) am not getting any younger.