Scientists have used cells from fluid drawn during pregnancy to grow mini lungs and other organs

By LAURA UNGAR
AP Science Writer

Scientists in the United Kingdom have created mini organs from cells floating in the fluid that surrounds a fetus in the womb. They believe this advance could open up new areas of prenatal medicine. Mini organs are tiny structures that can be used to test new medical treatments or study how the real organs they mimic work when healthy or diseased. Researchers say this is the first time “organoids” have been grown from cells collected during an active pregnancy. They envision the approach could eventually help doctors monitor and treat congenital conditions before birth and develop personalized therapies for a baby in the womb.