Scientists take another step toward 3-D-printed body parts

MUNICH — Researchers in Germany have created transparent human organs using a new technology that could pave the way to print three-dimensional body parts such as kidneys for transplants.

Scientists led by Ali Ert🌟urk at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich 🅠have developed a technique that uses a solvent to make organs such as the brain and kidneys transparent.

The organ is then scanned by lasers in🧔 a microscope that a♉llows researchers to capture the entire structure, including the blood vessels and every single cell in its specific location.

Using t꧂his blueprint, researchers print out the scaffold of the organ. They then load the 3-D printer with stem cells, which act as “ink” and are injected into the correct position making the organ functional.

While 3-D printing is already ဣused widely to produce spare parts for industry, Erturk said the development marks a step forward for 3-D printing in the medical field.

Until now 3-D-printed organs lacked detailed cellular structures because they were based on �🐭�images from computer tomography or MRI machines, he said.

“We can see where every single cell is located in transparent ꦕhuman organs. And then we can actually replicate exactly🃏 the same, using 3-D-bioprinting technology to make a real functional organ,” he said.

“Therefore, I believe ܫwe are much cl🦄oser to a real human organ for the first time now.”

Erturk’s team plan to start by creating a bioprinted pancre♉as over the next two to three years and also hope to develop a kidney within five to six years.

The researchers will first test to see whether animals can survive with the bioprinted org🦋ans and could start clinical trials within five to 10 y༺ears, he said.