The researchers behind test tube vaginas have reached the point where now they are ready to test their lab-grown penises.
The Guardian reports that Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is assessing engineered penises for safety, function and durability.
The rabbit studies were very encouraging," Professor Anthony Atala, director of the institute, said, "but to get approval for humans we need all the safety and quality assurance data, we need to show that the materials aren't toxic, and we have to spell out the manufacturing process, step by step."
The penises will be grown using the recipient's own cells, so as to reduce the risk of rejection. This means the technology won't work for female-to-male sex reassignment surgery.
That said it will help children born with genital abnormalities. Historically because of a lack of tissue for reconstructive surgery, baby boys with ambiguous genitalia are often given a sex-change at birth.
"Imagine being genetically male but living as a woman," Atala said. "It's a firmly devastating problem that we hope to help with."
The same research group came up with lab-grown vaginas a few months back.
According to a BBC report the vaginas were successful, as women who had them reported normal levels of "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction" and painless intercourse.
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