Purpose: The aims of regenerative medicine and artificial internal organ development are, respectively, to regenerate and provide for transplant tissue or organs.
Methods: We summarize recent research on tissue differentiation and organogenesis using stem cells and report our laboratory's research using amphibian undifferentiated cells.
Results: We have successfully induced differentiation in cells from Xenopus laevis and generated structures in vitro that function in a similar way to organs when transplanted to Xenopus and newt embryos. We are attempting to establish a system to induce sensory organs, including eyes.
Conclusion: Our experimental systems in amphibians are useful for organogenetic research, and it is hoped that our techniques can, in the future, be applied to mammals.