For crying out loud: Dutch scientists grow human tear glands

Creation of mini-organs using stem cells will help research into tear-related disorders

Stop your sobbing - because scientists can do it for you. Using stem cells, Dutch researchers have grown miniature human tear glands capable of crying".

Initially, when scientists were looking at developing this technology, their first port of call was the inner lining of the gut, because it replaces itself every five days. They took a tiny piece of gut tissue filled with stem cells and fed it proteins called growth factors to stimulate cell growth, expecting the stem cells to rapidly proliferate.