It seems that scientists have been struggling forever to make a mechanical heart that really works. Or a trouble-free hearing aid. Or a prosthetic hand that's half as good as the real thing. From wooden legs to silicone breasts, the history of human corporeal reengineering has largely been one of clumsiness and frustration, despite relentless innovation.

But what if we could take a tip from nature and grow the things we cannot build? Imagine little slabs of cardiac muscle cultivated in a dish, ready to be sewn over your aging heart. Homegrown blood vessels that naturally bypass clogged arteries. Medicines that work perfectly because they are made by your own cells. Imagine hair that sprouts in skeins from once withered follicles. Or being able to grow, as advertised, those perfect pecs and abs.

This article was originally published with the title Who Owns Your Body?.

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