These proteins slowly replace normal tissue, leading to failure of the involved organ.
Scientists say they may someday be used to repair or replaced damaged tissue or organs.
They also control the body's processes for repairing or replacing damaged tissue.
When you're growing new muscle or replacing tissue what is needed?
The bodies in the exhibition are preserved by a process that replaces human tissue with silicone rubber.
There were better ways to repair or replace damaged tissue now, had been for centuries, but the legacy of the pig experiments remained.
Stem cells might be used to replace damaged tissue in the brain, the growth factor to grow new synapses.
In the future, it may also be possible to replace damaged tissue using stem cells.
For instance, new heart muscle cells could replace tissue destroyed by a heart attack.
The scarring replaces healthy tissue and prevents the liver from working normally.