Select. Copy. Paste. Human.
3-D bioprinting is a rapidly advancing branch of bioengineering that may soon replace organ transplants and other traditional medicine practices.
3-D bioprinting is a manufacturing process in which natural biological substances, such as growth factors and cells, are combined to create artificial tissues that are extraordinarily lifelike. One of the trademark materials that are used are called “bioinks,” which are created by combining various different cells and biomaterials to mimic the extracellular matrix of a cell to support adhesion and differentiation after the printing process has occurred. The process itself generally begins with a blueprint of the design in question being developed on a software, which is then printed in a methodical layer-by-layer fashion. Since important tools, and organs, are being produced by this, cell adhesion is crucial to allow the layers to be able to stick together in a dependable manner, so that these designs do not fall apart.
There are a variety of steps to the 3-D printing process, usually in the same or a similar order. The first is 3-D imaging, which utilizes an MRI or CT scan to obtain the measurements and dimensions for the design with immaculate precision. The second is 3-D modeling, in which the aforementioned blueprint is developed on a software that includes detailed layer-by-layer instructions to prevent confusion while the design is being printed. The next step is bioink preparation, in which the bioink is produced, utilizing the certain cells that would have the specific skills to perform the skills necessary for the patient. The following step would be the actual printing of the design, in which the bioink is deposited layer-by-layer. The bioink causes the layer to, at first, be printed as a thick fluid. As such, the final step is solidification, in which the liquid layer is solidified in order to allow it to maintain its shape. This occurs as more and more layers pile on top of one another, and may be aided by ultraviolet radiation, heat, and/or chemicals.
While this advancing technology may seem a bit like science fiction, it is very much so real and is constantly developing to have more and more uses, especially in the healthcare industry. The first of these is the rapid development to be able to produce an entire organ by the use of bioprinting. Until now, scientists have not been able to print an entire organ, however, they have successfully printed kidney cells, cardiac sheets that have the ability to function as a beating heart, and the foundation of a human liver. The closest successful attempt at 3-D bioprinting a full organ was conducted at Rice’s Brown School of Engineering, where an organ was printed that could mimic the functions of the lungs, however, not as well as natural lungs. While the technology is not quite advanced enough yet to produce complete organs, there are still certain things that have been able to be produced. For example, in several university research labs, stem cells have begun to be bioprinted, despite being an innovation found only thirty years ago. Interestingly enough, the bioprinting of stem cells was what led to the bioprinting of other kinds of tissues, such as skin and bones. The bioprinting of skin has been arguably one of the greatest accomplishments of technology as a whole as it offers a large number of benefits. For patients with burn scars, skin cancers, and diseases that may affect outer layers of the skin, this innovation has been a huge advancement to relieve their insecurities and afflictions as a whole. Skin bioprinting is a development that had begun being researched in Germany in 2010 and has become a huge success since. Another tissue that began to be bioprinted after the successful bioprinting of stem cells in bone tissue and cartilage. While this bioprinting has not been quite as successful as that of skin, full bone tissue and cartilage have been produced by the use of bioprinting, simply not as strong or resilient as pressure as real bone tissue and cartilage may be. The researchers who prototyped the bioprinting of bone cartilage are continuing to work towards bioprinting bones and cartilage that will be able to perfectly mimic those that are real. 3-D bioprinting has also provided a major advance in surgical tools, one of the most successful of these being an extremely effective surgical smoke evacuator. More common surgical tools have also been printed by this method, such as scalpel handles and clamps, and cost only a tenth of the price of their traditional equivalents. This form of printing has additionally progressed cancer research incredibly, by the use of 3-D bioprinting of cancer cells to develop a greater understanding as to how tumors grow and spread. And finally, 3-D bioprinting has allowed for the production of artificial blood vessels, by use of a laser and 3D inkjet printer to mold them. This advancement has given researchers hope to find a way to be able to use this method to develop methods of heart repair or heart patches to replace parts of the heart that become damaged. The technology of 3-D bioprinting is one that has produced materials and has the potential to continue producing even more.
References
3D Bioprinting: Bioink Selection Guide. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/technical-documents/articles/materials-science/3d-bioprinting-bioinks.html
Dusking, A. (2019, October 30). Advancements in Bioprinting. Retrieved from https://www.itnonline.com/article/advancements-bioprinting
Erin, A. (2018, July 18). 7 Major Advancements 3D Printing Is Making in the Medical Field. Retrieved from https://thefutureofthings.com/8973-7-major-advancements-3d-printing-is-making-in-the-medical-field/
Mashambanhaka, F. (2019, September 12). What Is 3D Bioprinting? — Simply Explained. Retrieved from https://all3dp.com/2/what-is-3d-bioprinting-simply-explained/
What Is 3D Bioprinting? — Simply Explained. (2020, February 26). Retrieved from https://cellink.com/what-is-3d-bioprinting-simply-explained/
