A group of researchers led by Professor Gabor Forgaksa from the American University of Missouri has made important strides in the development of printing technology of "human organs".
"Printing" organs is a promising method of creating the necessary organs by printing them on special printers where the natural cells and sustances (growth factors) are used instead of ink. A study of american scientists clarified some important issues that had prevented earlier this technology to become mass, and implement it in clinical and laboratory practices.
Biologists used the "ink" from the microspheres (ball), each of which contained between 10 and 40 thousand cells of a body.
Three-dimensional printing done in a special substrate containing collagen. Once on the substrate, smashing microspheres, releasing cells that soon multiplied and formed intercell contacts and then substrate was removed.
It was found that cells of different types in the correct ratio themselves are distributed as needed in the body. The authors note in the work that this process is entirely similar to those that occurs during embryonic body development. Thus, "Colored" printing of different types of cells (entering the exact location) is not required. It is sufficiently to print in "black and white", using a mixture of all types. Moreover, the typical periodic processes of the body launched self in printed organ alone after reaching the necessary development stage.
Thus, the artificial heart, printed from chicken's kardiocytes, gradually began beating like natural. The study showed that printed organs recied by the process are very similar in structure and functional properties to natural.
All this promises that printed organs will soon take a significant place in the arsenal of techniques and laboratory medicine.
