The researchers giant step towards the goal of "bio-printing" transplantable tissues, organs -
Researchers have made a giant step towards the goal of transplantable tissue 'bio-printing "and organs for those affected by major diseases and injuries, a new study.
scientists from the universities of Sydney, Harvard, Stanford and MIT bio-printed artificial vascular networks imitating the circulatory system of the body that are needed for increasingly large and complex tissues.
"thousands of people die every year due to lack of organs for transplantation," says lead author study and the University of Sydney researcher Dr Luiz Bertassoni.
"Many more are subjected to surgical removal of tissues and organs due to cancer, or they are involved in accidents with large fractures and injuries
" Imagine being able to walk in a hospital and have a complete printed body. - Or bio-printed, as we call it -. with all cells, proteins and blood vessels in the right place, simply by pressing the "print" in your computer screen
"We are still far from, but our research addresses exactly that. Our conclusion is an important step towards achieving these objectives.
"for now, we're pretty printing" prototypes "which, as we improve, will eventually be used to change the way we treat patients worldwide. "
The challenge of research. - Networking cells with blood
The cells need access to nutrients, oxygen and an effective system" disposal waste "to sustain life. That's why "vasculature" - a functional transport system -. Is at the heart of tissue engineering and biological organs
"One of the biggest challenges for the management of major tissues and organs is growing blood vessels and capillaries a network" said Dr. Bertassoni.
"cells die without an adequate blood supply because blood supply of oxygen is necessary for the cells to grow and perform a series of functions in the body. "
" To illustrate the magnitude and complexity of bioengineering challenge we face, consider that every cell in the body is just the width of a hair from an oxygenated blood supply.
"Replicating the complexity of these networks has been a stumbling block preventing tissue engineering to become a clinical application in the real world."
But this is what researchers have now reached.
that the researchers achieved
using a high-tech "bio-printer", the researchers fabricated a multitude of tiny fibers interconnected to serve mold for artificial blood vessels.
They then covered the printed 3D structure with a rich cell protein-based material, which was solidified by applying a light to it.
Finally they removed the bio-printed fibers to leave behind a tiny network of channels coated with human endothelial cells, which self organized to form stable blood capillaries in less than a week (see diagram below ).
The study found that the vascular networks bioprinted significantly better promoted cell survival, differentiation and proliferation compared to cells that received no nutrient intake.
importance of breakthrough
According to Dr. Bertassoni, a major advantage of the new technique of bio-printing is the ability to manufacture large microvascular channels three dimensions capable of supporting life on the fly, with sufficient precision to meet individual patient needs.
"Although recreate small portions of tissue in the lab is something that we have been able to do so, the ability to print three-dimensional tissues with functional blood capillaries in the blink eye is a game changer, "he said.
" of course, simplified regenerative materials have long been available, but true regeneration of complex and functional organs is what doctors really want and patients really need, which is the goal of our work.
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