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Everyone knows that heart failure is the leading cause of death in developed countries. Although scientists have developed various procedures for heart transplantation, the situation of patients in need is still not favorable for two reasons: the search for a suitable donor is difficult and the body acceptance of this foreign entity is not without risk of fatal rejection of the immune system system.
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Last week, a team of scientists led by Dr. Tal Dvir of the Faculty of Life Sciences of Tel Aviv University released findings that could be the first signs of a game change for the rules of heart transplantation. The team was able to print a 3D model core using cell material from a human source.
While synthetic cores have been produced in the past – ranging from rather rudimentary robotic models to more advanced 3D renderings – says Dvir: "This is the first time anyone has been able to design and print a complete heart with cells. , blood vessels, ventricles and chambers, "
While it is true that scientists managed to print in 3D the architecture of the heart, which included cartilage and tissue of the aortal valve, no research team has yet managed to generate the porous vascular system through which the blood vessels exert their activities. which an organ will necessarily perish.
While the team's accomplishments are noteworthy in this regard, Dvir believes that this is only the first breakthrough needed to create a truly operational body: "We need to further develop the printed heart," he said. said Dvir.
"The cells must form a pumping capacity; they can currently contract, but we need them to work together. Our hope is that we will succeed and prove the effectiveness and utility of our method. "
Nevertheless, the team is optimistic about continuing its research!
How it works?
It's pretty easy to imagine printing a 3D wooden model, but how do you go about printing a fleshy organ like a heart? This is achieved through a 3D ink consisting of a biomaterial that is generated by the patient's cardiac cell synthesis with collagen nanofibers, which together form a weak gel-like substance. After being heated to 37 ° C, their shape becomes elastic.
As the team notes in its recently published journal article: "Bio-links are then printed to allow the creation of vascularized patches and complex cell structures. The resulting autologous artificial tissue can be grafted back to the patient to repair or replace injured / diseased organs with a low risk of rejection. "
In the still hypothetical scenario of a transfer, the synthetic biomaterial would serve as a support for the cardiac cell to regenerate an organ organ. When integration with the patient is complete, the synthetic bio-scaffolding begins a process of disintegration, which then leaves room for the living organ to fully settle in his new home.
Although the 3D heart impression may not be available for some time in your local hospital, the team hopes to be able to test their work on rats in the years to come. In the meantime, patients, their friends and family members can look forward to the future with optimism. Who knows, maybe the labs will one day print the human brain?
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