via Imperial College London
A new 3D printing technique allows researchers to replicate biological structures, which could be used for tissue regeneration and replica organs.
Imperial College London researchers have developed a new method for creating 3D structures using cryogenics (freezing) and 3D printing techniques.
This builds on previous research but is the first to create structures that are soft enough to mimic the mechanical properties of organs such as the brain and lungs. Their technique, created in collaboration with Kings College London, is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
At the moment we have created structures a few centimetres in size, but ideally we’d like to create a replica of a whole organ using this technique.– Zhengchu Tan
Being able to match the structure and softness of body tissues means that these structures could be used in medical procedures to form scaffolds that can act as a template for tissue regeneration, where damaged tissues are encouraged to regrow.
Regenerating damaged tissue by ‘seeding’ porous scaffolds with cells and encouraging them to grow allows the body to heal without the issues that normally affect tissue-replacing transplant procedures, such as rejection by the body.
The use of scaffolds is becoming more common and varied in its applications, but this new technique is special in that it creates super-soft scaffolds that are like the softest tissues in the human body and could help to promote this regeneration. In particular, there might be future potential in seeding neuronal cells; those involved in the brain and spinal cord.
The researchers tested the 3D-printed structures by seeding them with dermal fibroblast cells, which generate connective tissue in the skin, and found that there was successful attachment and survival.
This success, alongside previous research, could lead to further possibilities around the growth of stem cells, which is medically exciting due to their ability to change into different types of cells.
The underlying structure and actual printout of the scaffold
Additionally, the technique could be used to create replica body parts or even whole organs. These could be incredibly useful to scientists, allowing them to carry out experiments not possible on live subjects. They could even be used to help with medical training, replacing the need for animal bodies to practice surgery on.
Zhengchu Tan, one of the researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial, said: “At the moment we have created structures a few centimetres in size, but ideally we’d like to create a replica of a whole organ using this technique.”
The technique uses solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) to rapidly cool a hydrogel ink as it is extruded from a 3D printer. After being thawed, the gel formed is as soft as body tissues, but doesn’t collapse under its own weight, which has been a problem for similar techniques in the past.
Dr Antonio Elia Forte, one of the researchers from the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial, said: “Cryogenics is the novel aspect of this technology – it uses the phase change between liquid and solid to trigger polymerisation and create super soft objects that can hold their shape. This means that the technology has a wide variety of possible uses.”
Learn more: 3D printing creates super-soft structures that replicate brain and lungs
The Latest on: Tissue regeneration and replica organs
The 3D fine print - Forbes India
September 18, 2018 - Imagine holding a replica of the heart, prising open its chambers, feeling its arteries and anomalies and charting out the path of blood flow, without having to cut open the patient. “I started flipping the Yellow Pages and found a company that can ...Scientists could soon be able to grow human organs in pigs. But should they? - Deseret News
September 17, 2018 - But Pew Research Center's August report on how Americans feel about bioengineering and animals found 57 percent of respondents consider it appropriate to use technology to genetically engineer animals to grow organs or tissue for humans. .... For all ...Tech, student opportunity: Sabine Pass classroom on cutting edge - The Port Arthur News
September 3, 2018 - “That's because the brain is the only organ that doesn't regenerate tissue.” Hagedorn is a teacher with Sabine Pass Independent School ... Sabine Pass ISD does not have the technological ability to print organs — the necessary printers are found only ...10 Smart Facts About Wisdom Teeth - Mental Floss
August 28, 2018 - It turns out wisdom teeth aren't all bad. Although some of the research is still in the experimental phase, scientists are studying dental stem cells—which were discovered in 2003—to see if they can potentially be used to repair and regenerate tissue ...- April 23, 2018 - Without vasculature to transport nutrients and oxygen freely, tissues and organs suffer. While there are several methods of using 3-D ... Data from CT or MRI scans converted to printable form no longer suffer complexity loss, allowing for the creation ...
New printing technique uses cells and molecules to recreate biological structures - Phys.Org
February 15, 2018 - ... recreate the complex structures. The structures can be manufactured under digital control and with molecular precision which also enables the researchers to create constructs that mimic body parts or tissues for tissue engineering or regenerative ...3D printed soft structures can help in tissue regeneration, organ transplants - The Indian Express
January 16, 2018 - Being able to match the structure and softness of body tissues means that these structures could be used in medical procedures to form scaffolds that can act as a template for tissue regeneration, where damaged tissues are encouraged to regrow ...3D printing creates super soft structures that replicate brain, lungs - 3D Printing Progress
January 12, 2018 - Being able to match the structure and softness of body tissues means that these structures could be used in medical procedures to form scaffolds that can act as a template for tissue regeneration, where damaged tissues are encouraged to regrow.- January 11, 2018 - Researchers with Imperial College London (ICL) have developed a new 3D printing technique for creating replicas of biological structures, which could potentially be used for tissue regeneration, and even replica organs. Scaffold use is becoming more ...
- Tissue Regeneration Market Forecast to 2024: Increasing Medical Applications of 3D Printing in Tissue and Organ Regeneration the +35.0% CAGR Industry on August 27, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Tissue regeneration is the process of development of tissues and organs. The method involves application of engineering of tissue substitutes which maintain, restore and improve the function of defect... […]
- Tissue Regeneration Market Forecast to 2024: Increasing Medical Applications of 3D Printing in Tissue and Organ Regeneration the +35.0% CAGR Industry on August 27, 2018 at 11:46 am
Tissue Regeneration Market Tissue regeneration is the process of development of tissues and organs. The method involves application of engineering of tissue substitutes which maintain, restore and imp... […]
- 3D printed soft structures can help in tissue regeneration, organ transplants on January 16, 2018 at 8:06 am
Being able to match the structure and softness of body tissues means that these structures could ... The technique could also be used to create replica body parts or even whole organs. These could hel... […]
- 3-D printing creates super soft structures that replicate brain and lungs on January 9, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Credit: Imperial College London A new 3D printing technique allows researchers to replicate biological structures, which could be used for tissue regeneration and replica organs. Imperial College Lond... […]
- Origami Organs: Amazing tissue paper to regenerate organs on August 9, 2017 at 7:01 am
Tissue 'paper' that is thin and flexible enough to be made into an origami bird could be used to regenerate damaged organs. Using unwanted pig and cow organs from the local butcher, scientists created ... […]
- 'Origami organs' can potentially regenerate tissues on August 7, 2017 at 7:11 am
... paper could provide support and the cell signaling needed to help regenerate tissue to prevent scarring and accelerate healing. The tissue papers are made from natural organs or tissues. The cells ... […]
- ‘Origami Organs’ Can Potentially Regenerate Tissues on August 2, 2017 at 1:05 pm
... paper could provide support and the cell signaling needed to help regenerate tissue to prevent scarring and accelerate healing. The tissue papers are made from natural organs or tissues. The cells ... […]
- Study Findings Offer A Promising New Direction for Organ Regeneration and Tissue Repair on July 31, 2013 at 8:31 am
Newswise — BOSTON – Because most human tissues do not regenerate spontaneously, advances in tissue repair and organ regeneration could benefit many patients with a wide variety of medical conditions. ... […]
- Study offers promising new direction for organ regeneration and tissue repair on July 30, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Because most human tissues do not regenerate spontaneously, advances in tissue repair and organ regeneration could benefit many patients with a wide variety of medical conditions. Now a research team ... […]
- The Hippo pathway in organ size control, tissue regeneration and stem cell self-renewal on July 31, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Precise control of organ size is crucial during animal ... role in the self-renewal and expansion of stem cells and tissue-specific progenitor cells, and has important functions in tissue regeneration ... […]
via Google News and Bing News