Functional 3D Printed Tissue; Used to Print Muscle, Cartilage, Skin, and Bone Tissue

 

Functional 3D printed tissue, a form of additive manufacturing, is the next generation organ transplant technology, which reshapes the overall healthcare industry. 3D Bioprinting uses cells and other biochemical materials to print layer-by-layer of living structures that mimic the behavior of natural living systems. 3D tissue printing can be used to recreate tissue from various regions of the body. End-stage bladder disease patients can be treated using engineered bladder tissue to reconstruct the damaged organ. This technology can also potentially be applied to muscle, cartilage, skin, and bone tissue.

The ultimate goal of 3D tissue printing (functional 3D printed tissue) is to create organs that can fully integrate into the human body. Organ printing is a method of creating objects by using a solid form like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or nylon in combination with various nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) that bond together and create a solid object. This is different from other methods such as inkjet printing, digital printing, and lithography that rely on heat to bond the two polymer forms. All these methods use heat for bonding, but the method of using NICS depends on the nature of the object.

In the last few years, the demand for organ transplant has increased. According to the National Registry of Transplants, more than 21,686 patients are on the national transplant waiting list and around 13,956 candidates (64.3%) are waiting for a kidney transplant in Mexico. From 1963 to June 2017, around 46,492 transplants have been performed in Mexico. Thus, there is an increasing demand for functional 3D printed tissue all around the world. As a result, many companies are, in collaboration with research and development (R&D) institutes, engaged in development of 3D printed organs. The use of this technology enables manufacturers to create large numbers of identical products from a single source material.

3D bioprinting uses 3D printing–like techniques to construct biomedical parts that maximally imitate natural tissue characteristics. Bioprinting can be used to print tissues and organs to help research drugs and pills.