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
- October 26, 2018 - This publication examines intimately how eugenics in early twentieth-century France supplied a extensive hide for quite a few reform events that tried to result in the organic regeneration of the French inhabitants. like all different societies in this ...
Tiny Human Esophagus Grown in the Lab—Here's Why - National Geographic
September 20, 2018 - That image is sent to a team of surgeons, who will try to figure out if the organs can be surgically repaired. Meanwhile, doctors take a tiny piece of tissue from the patient and send it off to Wells' lab, which makes stem cells from the tissue sample ...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 ...How human cells can be reprogrammed to renew our bodies - Irish Times
August 16, 2018 - The human body is composed of about 37 trillion tiny units called cells, and there are about 200 different types of cells corresponding to the many different tissues and organs of the body, such as muscle, nerve etc. In addition to these differentiated ...- 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 printing technique that creates super soft organ replicas - Economic Times
January 14, 2018 - London, Jan 14 (IANS) A team of researchers have found a new 3D printing technique that allows them to replicate biological structures which could be used for tissue regeneration and replicate organs. They claim it is the first research to create ...
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 ...
- Researchers use stem cells to create personalized implants with low risk of rejection: 3 things to know on November 14, 2018 at 2:42 pm
"This versatile bioengineering approach may assist to regenerate any tissue and organ with a minimal risk for immune rejection," study authors conclude. 3. The research team is currently attempting to ... […]
- Israeli scientists develop implanted organs made from patient’s own cells on November 13, 2018 at 10:39 pm
The new method solves that problem. “With our technology, we can engineer any tissue type, and after transplantation we can efficiently regenerate any diseased or injured organ — a heart after a heart ... […]
- Groundbreaking Research: Israeli Scientists Can Create Personalized Tissue Implants on November 13, 2018 at 3:46 am
“With our technology, we can engineer any tissue type, and after transplantation we can efficiently regenerate any diseased or injured organ — a heart after a heart attack, a brain after trauma or wit... […]
- First fully personalized tissue implant engineered from patient's own materials and cells on November 12, 2018 at 9:14 pm
"With our technology, we can engineer any tissue type, and after transplantation we can efficiently regenerate any diseased or injured organ -- a heart after a heart attack, a brain after trauma or wi... […]
- New Device Helps Frogs Regenerate Their Legs on November 8, 2018 at 9:55 am
Researchers have developed a device that can trigger partial limb regeneration in ... help advance treatment of tissues that are lost, damaged or non- functional as a result of injury, birth defect, d... […]
- Cryogenics and 3D Printing Used to Create Super-Soft Replicas of Biological Structures for Tissue Regeneration on January 11, 2018 at 7:09 am
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 e... […]
- Dry ice helps Imperial researchers 3D print super soft biological structures for artificial organs on January 11, 2018 at 3:40 am
Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a new freezing and 3D printing technique that can be used to create biological structures for tissue regeneration and replica organs. The printed ... […]
- 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... […]
- Breakthrough Initiative Will Grow Organs and Regenerate Human Tissue on May 1, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Major strides are being made in the field of regenerative medicine. Developments have been made growing tissue and even organs in labs to help restore normal functionality in patients. Many of these r... […]
- Researchers identify a new way to promote tissue regeneration on March 8, 2017 at 4:00 pm
one of the first steps in tissue regeneration, or the formation of new tissues and organs from a single cell in the body. "We found that activating the innate immune system opens up the DNA," said Coo... […]
via Google News and Bing News