Doctors could 3-D print micro-organs with new technique

The days when 3D printers are just making plastic trinkets have passed --
Scientists say 3D
One day, the print structure loaded with embryonic stem cells can help doctors print out micro-
Transplant the patient\'s organs
Embryonic stem cells obtained from human embryos can develop into any kind of cell in the body, such as brain tissue, heart cells or bones.
This makes them ideal for regenerative medicine.
Repair and replace damaged cells, tissues and organs.
Scientists usually experiment by adding biological cues to embryonic stem cells to guide them to specific tissue types
A process called difference
This process begins with the formation of cells of a spherical mass known as a pseudo-embryo-
Mimic the activities of the early stages of embryo development. [
7 Cool uses of 3D printing in medicine]
Previous studies have shown that the best way to cultivate embryonic stem cells is not in a flat Laboratory plate, but in a 3D environment that simulates how these cells may develop in the human body.
Recently, scientists have developed 3D printers for embryonic stem cells.
The 3D printer works by depositing layers of material, just like the normal printer drops ink, except that it can also drop flat layers on top of each other to build 3D objects.
So far, the 3D printer for embryonic stem cells has only generated a flat array of cells or a simple mound called \"stalagmite \".
Now, researchers say they have developed for the first time a way to print 3D structures full of embryonic stem cells.
\"We can apply 3D-
Printing method to grow the embryo body in a controlled manner to produce highly uniform embryonic stem cell blocks
Sun Wei, a professor of mechanical engineering at Tsinghua University in Beijing and Dreiser University in Philadelphia, told the Journal Live Science.
In principle, these blocks can be used to build an organization like Lego blocks, and may even be miniature
\"Organs,\" added Sun.
In the experiment, the researchers simultaneously printed mouse embryonic stem cells with gel, the same material as the one that made soft contact lenses.
Because embryonic stem cells are relatively fragile, scientists make sure they protect them as much as possible.
For example, by finding the most comfortable temperature for them and increasing the size of the nozzle used to print them.
According to the new study, 90% of the cells survived during printing.
The researchers say the cells multiply into embryonic samples within the gel scaffold and produce the protein expected from healthy embryonic stem cells.
Scientists also point out that they can dissolve the gel to harvest the embryo body.
The size and uniformity of the embryo body will greatly affect what kind of cells they become.
Researchers say their new technology can better control the size and uniformity of the embryo body than previous methods.
\"The growing embryo body is uniform and homogeneous [a]
\"A better starting point for further tissue growth,\" Sun said in a statement . \".
\"It\'s exciting to see that we can grow embryos in such a controlled way.
\"Our next step is to learn more about how we can change the size of the embryo body by changing the printing and structural parameters, \"how changes in the size of embryos lead to\" manufacturing \"of different cell types,\" Joint Study
Rui Yao, the first author and assistant professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said in a statement.
In the long run, researchers want to print different kinds of embryos side by side.
\"This will promote the development of different cell types adjacent to each other, which will be
\"The organs in the lab all start from scratch,\" Yao said in a statement.
In November, scientists introduced their findings in detail on the Internet.
4 in the Journal of Biological processing
Copyright 2015 life science of Purch company.
All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or re-distributed.