Exciting New Breakthrough in Bioprinting: Repairing Organ Damage
The field of bioprinting has reached a new frontier with recent advancements that offer hope for repairing damaged organs. Researchers at Osaka University have made significant progress in overcoming the challenges of accurately bioprinting live cells into 3D structures that closely resemble biological tissues. Their findings, published in the esteemed journal ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, have opened doors to the possibility of cultivating organ replacements in labs.
Bioprinting involves the layer-by-layer assembly of tissues by depositing cell-laden ink to form 3D structures. While soft structures are ideal for cell growth, they have proven to be a challenge to print. Previous hurdles included the unwanted contamination that occurred during ink solidification. However, in this groundbreaking study, the team at Osaka University successfully achieved ink solidification into a soft matrix without any contamination, all while maintaining cell viability.
Lead author Takashi Kotani explained their innovative approach: “In our method, a 3D printer evenly dispenses the cell-containing ink and a printing support. What’s interesting is that the support also aids in the solidification of the ink. All the necessary components for ink solidification are present in the support. After removing the support, the geometry of the printed cell structures remains intact.” This unique technique utilizes hydrogen peroxide from the support to initiate gelation, resulting in the encapsulation of cells within a gel-like structure in a matter of seconds. This rapid process effectively prevents contamination and ensures the cells maintain their geometry and growth.
The potential of this research in tissue engineering is undeniable. Mouse fibroblast cells, a type of connective tissue cell, successfully maintained their structure and grew as expected. This success paves the way for advancements in regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical toxicology. By refining the bioprinting technique further, it is possible to improve the quality of human cell assemblies and tissue, moving us closer to the day when bioprinted models accurately mimic biological tissues and organs.
Future research will focus on optimizing the ink and support materials, as well as exploring the incorporation of blood vessels into the artificially printed tissues. These efforts will undoubtedly bring us closer to achieving fully functional and life-saving artificial organs. To learn more about this groundbreaking study, you can read the full research paper titled “Horseradish Peroxidase-Mediated Bioprinting via Bioink Gelation by Alternately Extruded Support Material.”
We’re excited to see the promising developments in bioprinting and invite you to share your thoughts on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly additive manufacturing newsletter to receive the latest stories directly to your inbox. Together, let’s celebrate the incredible possibilities that bioprinting brings to the field of medicine.
“Why did the 3D printer go to therapy? Because it had too many layers of unresolved issues!”
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