Synthetic gland graft therapy

Synthetic gland graft therapy (sGGT) is an umbrella term for several emerging therapies in which a synthetic gland is grown in vitro and then surgically grafted onto a host.

The general term covers several more specific treatment modalities, such as in vivo drug-tunable drug manufacture (ivDTDG), elective tailored appendix replacement (e-TAR), and graft-borne hormone supplementation (GBHS).

Table of contents

  1. Procedure
  2. Applications
  3. Legal status
  4. See also
  5. References

Procedure

All synthetic gland graft therapy (sGGT) procedures begin by growing a genetically modified organ in a lab setting using the patient’s own DNA or that of a highly compatible donor, such as a close family member. In conventional graft-borne hormone supplementation (GBHS) therapies, this synthetic organ is usually derived from a parathyroid gland modified to secrete a different set of hormones.

Once grown, the synthetic organ can be surgically implanted in the patient’s body in a procedure known as a clonograft. Once the implanted gland begins receiving blood flow from the patient’s body, it becomes an integral part of the host endocrine system and begins secreting substances such as conventional hormones or neohormones. [1]

Applications

sGGT has been suggested as a possible future treatment for diabetes and other severe disorders of the endocrine system, and as an alternate therapy for hormone supplementation to delay the onset of menopause or for gender transition. In vivo drug manufacture techniques, in which a microscale bioreactor containing genetically modified bacteria is implanted into a live host, have been advertised as a possible replacement for almost any class of long-term drug therapies.

Legal status

Clinical trials of sGGT are ongoing. [2] No form of sGGT has been approved for wide use in any jurisdictions, though specific exemptions exist for informed consent use in Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, and Switzerland. [3]

See also

References

  1. Lindt, M et al. (July 2045). “Synthetic Gland Graft Therapy: A Survey of Techniques, Studies, and Trials.” The Lancet. ↩
  2. Pringle, S. (October 2046). “Synthetic glands are making headlines… but there’s more to this story.” The Economic Times. ↩
  3. Chung, N. (August 2048). “The Hyperrich Are Buying New Glands. Are You Next?” Playboy. ↩