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Researchers have 3D-printed hearts using silicone and even a patient's own cells, but they haven't matched the full functionality of the real thing and aren't much good for repairing hearts. There's some progress on that front, however, as a team at Harvard's Wyss Institute has developed a technique for 3D-printing long cardiac macrofilaments that develop into muscle-like filaments which contract. The new method mimics the complex alignment of a heart's contracting elements (a difficult feat so far) while producing tissue thick enough to use in regenerative heart treatments.
The system is a refinement of Wyss' existing SWIFT (Sacrificial Writing in Functional Tissue) bioprinting technology. Their approach created a platform with 1,050 wells, each with two microscopic pillars. Scientists filled the wells with human-induced pluripotent stem cells (that is, young cells capable of developing into multiple forms) as well as a protein collagen and the cells used to form connective tissue. The combination forms a dense tissue that aligns along the axis linking the micropillars. The team then lifts the resulting organ building blocks off the pillars, uses that to create a bioprinting ink and uses the motion of the 3D printer head to further help with alignment.
www.engadget.com
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It is exciting to see how much 3D printing technology is advancing so many different areas. From building new structures, to creating artificial heart pieces, to creating special parts for vehicles, and the myriads of other applications this technology is advancing.
The system is a refinement of Wyss' existing SWIFT (Sacrificial Writing in Functional Tissue) bioprinting technology. Their approach created a platform with 1,050 wells, each with two microscopic pillars. Scientists filled the wells with human-induced pluripotent stem cells (that is, young cells capable of developing into multiple forms) as well as a protein collagen and the cells used to form connective tissue. The combination forms a dense tissue that aligns along the axis linking the micropillars. The team then lifts the resulting organ building blocks off the pillars, uses that to create a bioprinting ink and uses the motion of the 3D printer head to further help with alignment.
Scientists 3D-print a functional piece of a heart
Researchers have 3D-printed heart filaments that could eventually repair damaged hearts.
www.engadget.com
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It is exciting to see how much 3D printing technology is advancing so many different areas. From building new structures, to creating artificial heart pieces, to creating special parts for vehicles, and the myriads of other applications this technology is advancing.
