Scientists have created human-scale tissue using 3D-printing, cell-laden hydrogels, and biodegradable polymers:
Custom-made, living body parts have been 3D-printed in a significant advance for regenerative medicine, say scientists. The sections of bone, muscle and cartilage all functioned normally when implanted into animals.
The breakthrough, published in Nature Biotechnology [Abstract only.] [DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3413], raises the hope of using living tissues to repair the body. Experts described the technology, developed in the US, as a "goose that really does lay golden eggs". The idea of placing individual human cells in a precise pattern to replace a damaged jaw, missing ear or scarred heart muscle holds much promise.
[...] The team at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre developed a new technique that 3D-prints a tissue riddled with micro-channels, rather like a sponge, to allow nutrients to penetrate the tissue. The Integrated Tissue and Organ Printing System - or Itop - combines a bio-degradeable plastic which gives the structure and a water-based gel which contains the cells and encourages them to grow. When the structures were implanted into animals, the plastic broke down as it was replaced by a natural, structural "matrix" of proteins produced by the cells. Meanwhile, blood vessels and nerves grew into the implants.
Prof Anthony Atala, the lead researcher, said tissues could now be printed on a human scale. While the implants have the same strength as human tissues, the researchers are now waiting to see how durable they are.
[...] Similar techniques in which the biodegradable scaffolding is built first and then soaked in cells are already being used in patients. Women were given lab-grown vaginas at the Wake Forest centre two years ago, but the range of treatments is again limited by keeping the cells alive. Prof Atala added: "In this study we printed a wide range of tissue strengths - from muscles as a soft tissue to cartilage and bone as a hard tissue showing a whole range of tissue strengths is possible. "The hope is to continue work on these technologies to target other humans tissues as well." And ultimately they aim to print directly into a patient.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday February 16 2016, @04:19PM
I suggest starting from the penis.
Once you can sell implantable big penises, the funding for the research is forever ensured.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Spelli on Tuesday February 16 2016, @05:06PM
Customer: "I'd like one big penis."
Sales guy: "We currently have Italian week. I'm sorry, we currently only stock small and medium penises. But we could outfit you with two medium ones."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @05:12PM
I guess I'll take that then.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @05:20PM
Well, if it were a two-for-one deal, I might consider it.
(Score: 2) by kurenai.tsubasa on Tuesday February 16 2016, @05:54PM
That would be a great advancement for men irreparably damaged by ritual genital mutilation resulting in the need to completely amputate the organ or born with a female reproductive system.
And now, my inner cynic:
Women were given lab-grown vaginas at the Wake Forest centre two years ago
But never if they were assigned the male gender at birth! That would be Free Obamacare Sex Changes! Rape of the female form! Heterosexual marriage and and saying “merry Christmas” would be outlawed! Both the God and Goddess will be enraged! Communism! Airplanes flying into skyscrapers all over again! Dogs and cats living together! The next thing you know, Russian soldiers!
(Score: 2) by Bot on Wednesday February 17 2016, @11:28AM
We don't really know if those women getting implanted vaginas have been chosen fairly. The wurst case scenario is they had been corrupted into selling vagina futures. Still the market demand for enlarged penises dwarfs any other therapeutic use, so humanity will be standing on the shoulders of giant (penises).
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @06:13PM
I lost 1" of off the index and middle fingers of my right hand in an accident nearly 4 years ago. I have adjusted, but being right handed it is a pain in the ass. Probably would be a pain in the ass if it were my left hand too. It just sucks.
It seems like bone, cartilage, and other soft tissue would be simple enough. I wonder if they could do a proper fingernail.
In any case, I have lived with this for 4 years. I would rather not wait a full decade for a solution.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @06:46PM
actually went to the wake forest medical center website, found an email and volunteered. probably won't come to anything, but I had to give it a go.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday February 16 2016, @07:18PM
You might be a good case for an early pilot program, since your injury is external, small scale, and not devastating.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @07:04PM
I was certain this would be about the lab grown vaginas!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @07:10PM
sorry to disappoint :-)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @11:14PM
For a moment there, I was thinking "Isn't that guy on tour?" [google.com]
Gotta take your hat off to the ability of humans to not simply adapt but to thrive.
As for the breakthrough, we live in wondrous times.
With the previous advances in materials engineering and combining that with biomimicry, I'm reminded of a time in my youth when an oldster, upon seeing a gadget that used new technologies, said "Well, what will they think of next?"
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Absolutely.Geek on Tuesday February 16 2016, @07:25PM
This all sounds great and the advancements can't come soon enough; however
And ultimately they aim to print directly into a patient.
seems a bit ghoulish but just maybe; it will lead to a clan of body modders that talk with an affected lisp and call everybody "master", and share the same name.
Don't trust the police or the government - Shihad: My mind's sedate.