Israeli researchers are claiming a “major medical breakthrough” by successfully producing the world’s first 3D vascularized, artificially-engineered heart, made using a patient’s own cells.
© AFP / JACK GUEZ
Until now, 3D printing has only been used to produce simple tissues without blood vessels, including making the structure of a heart but without the necessary vascular elements to make it actually pump. While the Tel Aviv University (TAU) team’s 3D-printed heart doesn’t actually work yet, it is the closest anyone has ever come to artificially replicating one of our most complex and vital organs.
©AFP / JACK GUEZ
“The cells need to form a pumping ability; they can currently contract, but we need them to work together. Our hope is that we will succeed and prove our method’s efficacy and usefulness,” said Prof. Tal Dvir of TAU’s School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology as cited by The Jerusalem Post. The research was published in Advanced Science on Monday.
The process consists of three stages: the target organ is scanned via MRI, it is then printed using patient-specific bioinks, “substances made of sugars and proteins,” made of their own cells after which the organ is then matured it in a suitable laboratory or host environment.
©AFP / JACK GUEZ
The personalized, 3D-printed heart at TAU is sized for a rabbit but the researchers are confident the results would be replicable for human trials using the same technology and process, once they can overcome some technical challenges: Current generation 3D printers are limited in resolution so printing all of the critical, finer blood vessels is yet to be overcome.
However, the ultimate goal is to have “organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely” within the next 10 years, Dvir says.
©AFP / JACK GUEZ
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and Israel, and heart transplants are often only afforded to those with end-stage heart failure, but the lengthy wait (up to six months) for a suitable donor can often prove fatal.
In the meantime, printed organs are already being used for training purposes in medical schools and these more complex 3D replicas could prove invaluable in teaching hospitals around the world.
Original: https://www.rt.com/news/456590-worlds-first-3dprinted-vascular-heart/
Hells Yyeeaaaahh!!
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Although it is highly advanced technology, where do we draw the line. This could be seen as cloning and when will that be possible? It is probably going on now, behind closed doors. I do not agree with this technology.
It would be good to use the 3D technology to make more homes for people, since many are homeless today. How about sharing our food, so that no-one goes hungry. I see this 3D technology to make organs, as venturing into territory that we have no right to enter. If my heart was getting weak, I would gladly leave this earth, and go back home, where we are meant to be. I would never have this type of heart in my body because it is man made, and I don't trust it. Only our Creator has the right to create our bodies, minds, and hearts. That is my belief.
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It's also a very sad and backward world where we have all this advanced technology, but many have no good values and we can't even get along together. We should be focussing on humanity and all our human family having a good quality of life instead of trying to create fake hearts and body parts.
We are still having wars on earth and people are dying of hunger everyday. How is that acceptable? We call ourselves advanced, but we can't even take care of each other. I think this is the most ignorant time yet. If we are destroying our earth in the name of greed, then how does it make sense to focus on building hearts and body parts.
We can only have a body, if we have a planet to live on. Our plant will wipe us out soon because we are useless and doing nothing positive around here only focussing on pointless things.
We need to be trying to live in harmony with one another and our Earth, because this is urgent. Storms will increase and soon we will have no place to call home. We will all be dead soon, this is an emergency.
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Now take into account all our Mythos of half man half animal.
Creating a DOOM monster does not seem so unlikely now does it?...
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