By By Tim Sandle Dec 19, 2012 in Science A team of American scientists have found a way of creating biological pacemakers using ordinary heart cells. This means that an alternative to the electrically powered pacemaker could be produced. The discovery has the potential to replace, as a biological alternative, the conventional pacemaker. Having a pacemaker fitted is one of the most common types of heart surgery, according to Using this new technique, the The scientists are based at the Researchers have found a way to re-program heart cells so that they become exact replicas of highly specialized pacemaker cells, as the Medical Press has reported. It's done by injecting a single gene, called Tbx18, into the cells. The new cells took on the distinctive features and function of native pacemaker cells.The discovery has the potential to replace, as a biological alternative, the conventional pacemaker.Having a pacemaker fitted is one of the most common types of heart surgery, according to Medical News . Current pacemaker cells generate electrical activity that spreads to other heart cells in an orderly pattern to create rhythmic muscle contractions, but there is only a limited quantity of them within the heart, meaning they need to be replaced with electronic devices if damaged.Using this new technique, the research brief describes, it has been shown that replacement cells, that replicate the distinctive features and functions of native pacemaker cells, can be created. So far, studies have only been undertaken in test tubes and in guinea pig studies.The scientists are based at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute led by Dr Eduardo Marban. The findings have been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology More about Pacemaker, Heart attack, Cells, Medicine, Heart More news from Pacemaker Heart attack Cells Medicine Heart