Pensioner Grows New Finger with "Pixie Dust"

5/01/2008

Lee Spievaka, a 69 year old who sliced off his finger by accidentally sticking it into a model plane’s propeller, has grown a new fully-functional finger thanks to what he calls "pixie dust".

His doctor calls the substance extra cellular matrix, which comes from the University of Pittsburgh and is being studied for its properties of stimulating wounds to grow, rather than form scar tissue.

Hopes for the cellular matrix are high that it may one day be used to repair severely burnt skin or even damaged organs.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk

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