A 3D Printer That 'Prints' Tissues Using Human Embryonic Stem Cells

[LongTomH]

An Io9 article originally taken from Popular Science: http://io9.com/5981832/a-3d-printer-that-generates-human-embryonic-stem-cells

A team at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland is using a 3D printer loaded with human embryonic stem cells to print tissues. They hope to eventually print whole organs and tissues:

The cells were floating in a "bio-ink," to use the terminology of the researchers who developed this technique. They were able to squeeze out tiny droplets, containing five cells or fewer per droplet, in a variety of shapes and sizes. To produce clumps of cells, the team printed out cells first and then overlaid those with cell-free bio-ink, resulting in larger droplets or spheroids of cells. The cells would group together inside these spheroids. Spheroid size is key, because stem cells need certain conditions to work properly. This is why very precisely controlled 3-D printing could be so valuable for stem cell research.

.............//snip

Eventually, they could be used to print out new tissues, or as filler inside existing organs, which would be regenerated. It could even serve to limit animal testing for new drug compounds, allowing them to be tested on actual human tissue, said Jason King, business development manager at Roslin Cellab, one of the research partners. "In the longer term, [it could] provide organs for transplant on demand, without the need for donation and without the problems of immune suppression and potential organ rejection," he said in a statement.

.............//snip

Stem cells are powerful because they can develop into any cell in the body. Embryonic stem cells, which are taken from human embryos in the earliest stages of development, can be developed into stem cell lines that can be grown indefinitely. This is kind of controversial, especially in the US. But medical researchers think they could be hugely promising for a whole host of human ailments — stem cells could differentiate into neurons, potentially replacing the ones lost in degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's; or they could differentiate into pancreatic cells, curing diabetes; and so on.

Using a 3-D printer to produce gun parts has been pretty controversial, especially during the ongoing post-Connecticut-shooting gun debate. But that may be nothing compared to this.

The concern seems to be the controversy over using stem cells from human embryos; but, I see another concern. I believe it was Al Gore who recently stated that new developments in medicine have great promise; but, they also have a potential to increase the gap between the health care given to the rich and to the rest of us, due to their cost.

[Control-Z]

1. Just wow! (nt)

[reteachinwi]

2. Phillip K. Dick is a prophet.

[Claybrains]

3. That is INCREDIBLE. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Stunning future. Just stunning.

[Ian David]

5. I just want to know if it can make my dick bigger.

What?

Oh, come on.

I can't be the ONLY one who thought of that.

[FirstLight]

6. ..if only....

My daughter has a birth defect in her optic nerve, and stem cells look to be the key to fixing it. but yes, the issue becomes that we are on Medi-CAL and the only way she'd be considered for something would be to volunteer and try to get in on the testing... like that'll happen...

but still, amazing possibilities there, hope it can be used for good endings, but I doubt it...seeing as who controls that stuff is who has the ca$h

[Nay]

7. Can I get in line for those pancreatic cells? I just got Type 2 diabetes, and would sure love

to be cured.....

[siligut]

8. 3D printer companies posted this in their forward thinking reports

I am thrilled and a little apprehensive with what the 3D printers are capable of.