3D-printed organs – quick explanation: this essentially entails filling an old inkjet printer with human tissue, which then gets ‘printed’, layer by layer, to form a 3D object.
Last year, we implanted the first bioengineered blood vessel, and it won’t be long before we’ll be able to print a liver for anyone who needs one.
Because the cost of printing will eventually be cheap enough for us to use the host’s tissue, this also means we’ll no longer have issues with the body rejecting the organ, since it’ll be made from their very own cells.
It’s amazing – nearly incomprehensible – as far as scientific developments go.
We’re even growing tiny, embryonic brains in the lab: the most complex human organ, and the only reason they’re not developing further is because they haven’t been able to provide it with a continuous blood supply.
We’re hurtling towards a point where we’ll be able to artificially create every single part of the human body.
There’s only one logical next step from there. Continue reading.
Source: The Wireless
Image: Cross-section of multi-cellular bioprinted human liver tissue, stained with hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) Organovo
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News category: Features.
