The rapid advances in stem cell technology have raised hopes that we will eventually be able to produce a variety of specialized adult cell types on demand. But obtaining specialized cells is only part of the solution, as far as medicine is concerned. Functioning adult tissues are collections of different cell types, arranged in three-dimensional space, and that arrangement, along with the contacts among cells, can be essential for the biological function of an organ. If we're going to repair damage caused by injury or disease, we need to produce complete tissues, not just dissociated cells.
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