Bionic body parts made in a lab and automatic body tissue regenerators were once the stuff of fantasy and science fiction. Not anymore; “soft robotics” and 3D tissue printing are the real thing. These advancements in medical science can create almost any body part made of soft tissue or supported by robotic components. Only the human brain and few other complex organs are off-limits. To get a better understanding of how 3D tissue printing works, you have to start with the machine.
Different Machines, but Each Prints Using Cell Cultures
The key with bioprinting organs and soft tissues is to start with a good cell culture. Initially, the culture is grown in a Petri dish, but then the strands of material are scanned into and used in the printer to create the specified organ or tissue. The cell culture is what tells the 3D tissue printer what to print and how to print it. The cell culture provides a road map and programming for the printer to follow.
Printing More Complicated Tissues
A standard 3D printer may take all day to print something like a chess piece. Imagine how something more complex than a chess piece would print. It is likely to take days, maybe even a week. However, most of the tissues that medical labs print for doctors and hospitals are printed quite rapidly, thus saving a patient’s life at a critical moment. To find out more, visit CELLINK and see what possibilities await you, your hospital, and your patients.
