Researchers have developed a specialized device modeled on systems used for transporting donor organs (such as the heart, liver, and kidneys). The apparatus supplies the organ with nutrients and removes waste products, mimicking natural physiological processes. As a result, the uterus remained “alive” for 24 hours after removal.
Initial experiments began four years ago using sheep uteri. In May last year, the team obtained its first human organ following a hysterectomy. A key condition for success is connecting the organ to the device within three hours of removal.
The next goal for researchers is to maintain uterine viability for up to 28 days. This would make it possible to fully replicate the menstrual cycle under laboratory conditions and study the process of embryo implantation (using stem cell–based analogues). In the long term, the technology could not only improve organ transplantation but also enable scientists to observe full fetal development outside the human body.
