artificial organ 人工臓器
ライフサイエンス / ハイテクノロジー

Any one of a group of man-made organs developed as replacements for human organs such as the heart and kidneys. Artificial organs designed for permanent use currently do not exist; they are mainly used in bridge-to-transplants as temporary replacements until a donor can be found. There are hybrid organs in development that combine organic tissue with synthetic materials, but creating fully functional replacements for organs such as the pancreas and the liver remains challenging.