This is so far a proof of concept, but also promising. It could well do the trick and can eventually assist in bone repair and surely in dental work as well.
I do not think though that this will be an easy protocol to actually implement.
Otherwise, real progress is been made here and the day in which massive organ replacement becomes possible is no longer unimaginable.
.
Scientists successfully 3D print human cartilage with a breakthrough stem cell printer
Tuesday, May 09, 2017 by: Russel Davis
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-05-09-scientists-successfully-3d-print-human-cartilage-with-a-breakthrough-stem-cell-printer.html#
(Natural News)
Recently, Swedish scientists successfully developed cartilage tissue by
printing stem cells through a 3D bioprinter. As part of the
study, a team of researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy and the Chalmers
University of Technology in Sweden harvested cartilage cells from knee
surgery patients. The experts then coaxed the cells into becoming
pluripotent stem cells. These stem cells were touted for their potential
in developing into different types of cells. The researcher expanded
and encapsulated the stem cells in a nanofibrillated cellulose. The
research team then used a 3D bioprinter to print the stem cells into a
structure.
The team took three years to identify the right method in surviving
the stem cells during printing. According to the experts, using large
amounts of live stem cells can make the process possible. “In nature,
the differentiation of stem cells into cartilage is a simple process,
but it’s much more complicated to accomplish in a test tube. We’re the
first to succeed with it, and we did so without any animal testing
whatsoever. We investigated various methods and combined different
growth factors. Each individual stem cell is encased in nanocellulose,
which allows it to survive the process of being printed into a 3D
structure. We also harvested mediums from other cells that contain the
signals that stem cells use to communicate with each other so called
conditioned medium. In layman’s terms, our theory is that we managed to
trick the cells into thinking that they aren’t alone. Therefore the
cells multiplied before we differentiated them,” said lead researcher
Professor Stina Simonsson in ScienceDaily.com.
Potential use of bioprinted cartilage
Surgeons who examined the artificial cartilage confirmed that the
bioprinted tissue contained properties that were similar to real human
cartilage. According to the surgeons, the bioprinted
cartilage contained Type-II collagen and perfectly-formed cells. The
cellular structure of the bioprinted tissue also appeared to be similar
to human cartilage samples, the surgeons noted.
The findings may provide opportunities in developing new, endogenous
cartilage tissue, which can be used in damage repair or osteoarthritis
treatment. However the study’s lead researcher cautioned that issues
with tissue structure must first be resolved before conducting human
tests. “The structure of the cellulose we used might not be optimal for
use in the human body. Before we begin to explore the possibility of
incorporating the use of 3D bioprinted cartilage into the surgical
treatment of patients, we need to find another material that can be
broken down and absorbed by the body so that only the endogenous
cartilage remains, the most important thing for use in a clinical
setting is safety,” Professor Simonsson said.
The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports. Read more news on technology discoveries at Discoveries.news.
Previous works in cartilage bioprinting
A number of researchers have previously used 3D printing
in developing cartilage cells. Just last year, a team of researchers
from the Pennsylvania State University made use of cow cartilage strands
as an ink substitute in a 3D printing process. During the process, the
researchers developed a tiny alginate tube where the cartilage cells and
be grown for a week. The tube allowed the stem cells to bind together.
The strand was used as an ink replacement in producing artificial
cartilage. The results were published in Scientific Reports.
Researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have also developed a new type of 3D printer, called the Integrated Tissue and Organ Printing System,
that used biodegradable plastic and human cells in developing a range
of human tissues such as cartilage, human muscles, and bones. According
to the researchers, what made the new printer revolutionary is its use
of cells suspended in gel to produce the structures. The findings
appeared in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Learn more scientific advances such as these when you read the articles on Scientific.news.
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