In Mexico, a specialist in regenerative medicine was able to take cells from a patient’s cartilage and grow ear-shaped cartilage in lab mice that are then implanted in people who have a malformed ear. The ear is created using in vitro cartilage cells in a biomaterial that acts as a mold. The biomaterial mold dissolves and disappears in about a year and only the newly formed cartilage in the shape of an ear is left behind.
This was recently tested on a nine year old boy making it the first implant of its kind in the world. Eight months later and it is considered a success and the scientist is already working on cultivating cells from three more patients for future ear transplants.