Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

DOGE0.070.84%SOL19.370.72%USDC1.000.01%BNB287.900.44%AVAX15.990.06%XLM0.080.37%
USDT1.000%XRP0.392.6%BCH121.000.75%DOT5.710.16%ADA0.320.37%LTC85.290.38%
THE BIZNOB – Global Business & Financial News – A Business Journal – Focus On Business Leaders, Technology – Enterpeneurship – Finance – Economy – Politics & LifestyleTHE BIZNOB – Global Business & Financial News – A Business Journal – Focus On Business Leaders, Technology – Enterpeneurship – Finance – Economy – Politics & Lifestyle

Technology

Technology

Scientists Build Artificial Blood Vessels with 3D Printer

Courtesy of Khademhosseini Lab Courtesy of Khademhosseini Lab
Courtesy of Khademhosseini Lab Courtesy of Khademhosseini Lab

Scientists have developed a way to create artificial blood vessels using a 3D printer. The printed biological structures could be used for transplants or for testing new drugs, according to Live Science.

 

Read also: GeckoTek 3D Printer Innovation Meets Kickstarter Goal in One Day 

 

3D-printing technology is proving to have many practical uses. Drones attached with 3D printers can be used to seal nuclear waste, giant 3D printers in China can build 10 houses in just one day, and unfortunately individuals are already using the technology to print plastic guns that can pass through metal detectors undetected.

 

Read also: Recyclable LYF Shoes Sold Made-to-Order

 

3D printers have also proven to be very effective in medical research. They can be used to print facial reconstruction plates, build prosthetic skull implants, and now they can print working blood vessels.

Blood vessels supply the body’s organs with nutrients and remove waste. Scientists have synthesized tissue from organs such as the heart, liver and lungs, but the inability to recreate the complex network of blood vessels to maintain that synthetic tissue leaves them unstable.

Artificial blood vessels have a high demand in medicine. Currently, the best treatment for faulty blood vessels is through donor transplant, Dr. Ali Khademhosseini, biomedical engineer and project leader, explained, according to Live Science. There are not many available donors, and the procedure does not always take, as the patient’s immune system may reject the transplanted tissue. Scientists like Khademhosseini intend to build artificial blood vessels that would cater directly to each patient’s needs.

Khademhosseini also believes these artificial blood vessels can be used for testing new drugs and cosmetics before they are used on humans. Scientists cannot test with real tissue, as it is already very limited and needs to be used for transplants.

“Creating artificial blood vessels remains a unique challenge in tissue engineering. We’ve attempted to address this challenge by offering a unique strategy for vascularization of hydrogel constructs that combine advances in 3D bio-printing technology and biomaterials,” Khademhosseini said, according to RT.

According to Live Science, before this breakthrough, scientists would either attempt to print the actual cells, or they would print a structure that would later dissolve. These methods were ineffective as directly printed cells would be damaged or killed during the process, and the material of the dissolving structures could be harmful to the cells.

Khademhosseini’s team uses a 3D printer to build structures called agarose fiber templates. Agarose, a polymer made from seaweed, is used to culture cells, and these templates form a mold on which to grow very small channels composed of the cultured cells. Once printed, the mold is covered in a durable, gelatinous substance called hydrogel, which coats the channels, according to RT. The agarose fiber templates are designed to be removed at a later date, once the cells have grown a network of channels.

“The fiber templates we printed are strong enough that we can physically remove them to make the channels, [which] prevents having to dissolve these template layers, which may not be so good for the cells that are entrapped in the surrounding gel,” Khademhosseini said.

3D printer technology provided the strong molds necessary for this medical advancement to take place.

The resulting blood vessels were able to successfully transport fluids, support living cells and allow the cells to mature, according to Live Science.

While the results are promising, the procedure has a ways to go before it can be applied for humans. Their tests used mouse cells. They have yet to find a way to build smaller blood vessels, like capillaries. Khademhosseini’s team is still working toward making their research translatable to human DNA.

 

Photo: Courtesy Photo

 


Comment Template

You May Also Like

Breaking News

On Tuesday, British junior Doctors launched a four-day protest over wages, threatening patient safety. In the latest disruption to the state-funded National Health Service,...

Economy

Oil paint is still on-demand as artists yearn for new designs. However, the paint is so expensive, regardless of more paint industry coming into...

Not Sure

In an experiment, Australian scientists may have discovered a way to wipe out disease-carrying mosquitoes. The trial locations spread across north Queensland Australia and...

Not Sure

The science of psychedelic party drugs has been evolving in recent years. Governments worldwide have previously criticized drugs like LSD and MDMA. These kinds...

Notice: The Biznob uses cookies to provide necessary website functionality, improve your experience and analyze our traffic. By using our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Cookie Policy.

Ok