Scientists from all over the world are trying to use 3D printing technology to create artificial organs. If they can prove their safety, effectiveness and durability, in the future, mankind will be able to forget about the donation of organs and introduce artificial analogs into the bodies of people who need healthy organs.
Scientists from Switzerland managed to create a mechanical copy of the human heart previously, but it was printed from silicone. Since silicone can be rejected by the body, scientists had to create a heart from human natural tissue. And they finally managed to do it.
So at least scientists from Tel-Aviv University claim – they used only human tissues to print a small heart, which would not be rejected by the body. The structure of an artificial organ includes the vessels necessary for its work, collagen protein to create connective tissue and various biological molecules.
“This is the first time that someone has successfully designed and printed a whole heart with cells, blood vessels and ventricles.”, says Tal Dvir, lead author.
Researchers claim that the heart is capable of shrinking, but it is important for them to ensure that its cells begin to work together. It’s too early to say that such a heart is able to completely replace a donor organ – researchers will have to work on all the minuses found.
By Julianna S.
This is remarkable.