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Organovo Now Selling Tiny 3D-printed Human Livers

posted by LaminatorX on Friday November 21 2014, @04:39PM   Printer-friendly
from the world-of-tomorrow dept.

AnonTechie writes:

When a medication enters the bloodstream, it ends up being concentrated in the liver – after all, one of the organ's main functions is to cleanse the blood. This means that if a drug is going to have an adverse effect on any part of the body, chances are it will be the liver. It would seem to follow, therefore, that if a pharmaceutical company wanted to test the safety of its products, it would be nice to have some miniature human livers on which to experiment – which is just what San Diego-based biotech firm Organovo ( http://ir.organovo.com/news/press-releases/press-releases-details/2014/Organovo-Announces-Commercial-Release-of-the-exVive3D-Human-Liver-Tissue/default.aspx ) is about to start selling.

Known as exVive3D, the three-dimensional liver models measure just a few millimeters across, and are created using a 3D bioprinter. The device incorporates two print heads, one of which deposits a support matrix, and the other of which precisely places human liver cells in it.

http://www.gizmag.com/organovo-exvive3d-liver-models/34843/

[Additional Coverage]: http://www.popsci.com/3-d-printed-pencil-tip-size-livers-go-sale

 
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  • (Score: 2) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Friday November 21 2014, @05:46PM

    by Jeremiah Cornelius (2785) on Friday November 21 2014, @05:46PM (#118540) Journal

    Do they come with those airplane-sized bottles?

    --
    You're betting on the pantomime horse...

  • (Score: 2) by Thexalon on Friday November 21 2014, @05:52PM

    by Thexalon (636) on Friday November 21 2014, @05:52PM (#118542)

    If we could get to the point where it was easy to get replacements for human livers, I'd no longer need to worry about cirrhosis, and then have no fear about drinking a couple of extra pints. Right now, I'm stuck looking for people who answer yes to the question "Can I have your liver then?"

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 21 2014, @06:12PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 21 2014, @06:12PM (#118545)

    Presumably you want that liver to act like a functioning one for some time.
    How do they keep it alive?

    • (Score: 2) by Sir Garlon on Friday November 21 2014, @06:41PM

      by Sir Garlon (1264) on Friday November 21 2014, @06:41PM (#118553)

      That is probably a trade secret.

      According to TFA, they are not exactly "selling" the model livers:

      The first exVive3D models will be available to researchers and pharmaceutical companies through Organovo's contract research services program – this means that the tests will be performed by Organovo technicians, at the company's facilities.

      I would describe that more as "leasing" than "selling." Anyway, they have a way to keep the little liver-clone alive for 42 days (according to TFA) at their facility and they're not really talking about how.

      --
      [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.

      • (Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Friday November 21 2014, @06:53PM

        by opinionated_science (4031) on Friday November 21 2014, @06:53PM (#118556)

        pump nutrients through it - cells want to live and in vivo you give them oxygenated media and some glucose and they'll live quite happily.

        To get them to differentiate requires specific growth factors (e.g. VEGF for blood vessels), but biology is pretty good at self-assembling. You would be amazed what was used 60 years ago in lab experiments!! I get the impression they liquidised all sorts of stuff and see if it works!!

        The major problem is your adult liver took 20 years to grow, and you needed it every day for that time. So lab grown has a big leap...

        Hence, a true advance is a liver that can be implanted and "helps" the failing one...and of course, using your stem cells.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 22 2014, @07:07AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 22 2014, @07:07AM (#118711)
          Or a better more tasty and more humane Foie Gras? :)