They printed the first 3D heart from human tissue

Similar experiences have already taken place in Argentina and the rest of the world with artificial hearts created with 3D printer. The noticeable difference in this case is that it was done from human tissue and real blood vessels. The Tel Aviv University team that introduced the prototype called it "big advanced in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and in the prevention of graft rejection. "

The researchers presented the heart of size of a cherry immersed in a liquid. Although many obstacles remain, scientists hope to be able to "to print"3D hearts that can be transplanted with minimal risk of rejection in patients who no longer depend on a potential donor organ.

"It's the first time that a heart is printed integrally with its cells and blood vessels," said Professor Tal Dvir, director of the research team, "This is the first time that a heart is printed integrally with its cells and blood vessels," said Professor Tal Dvir, director of the research team, "It is the first time the patient's material and cells are used. " "It has already been printed the structure of a three-dimensional heart before, but not with cells and blood vessels, "he insisted.

Medical studies regenerative, a sector at the intersection of biology and technology, has made it possible to print in 3D simple tissues, but without blood vessels. This time, the authors of the study created a procedure that allows not only to produce, from cells obtained in the tissues of the patient, the hydrogel used to mold the vascularized heart patches. perfectly compatible with the receiver, but also whole cell structures with their main vessels, like hearts, for example in an article published in the scientific journal Advanced Science.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in industrialized countries. Until now, heart transplants were the only option available for patients with serious heart problems. But because of the limited number of donors, many patients die before a transplant. When a person benefits from a transplant, the body of many people rejects it. "We print an entire heart that is completely biocompatible with the patient and will not cause an immune response", said Tal Dvir.

For now, the hearts produced are the size of a rabbit, but its size could be increased to reach that of a human heart, said Tal Dvir. "Perhaps in 10 years, there are organ printers in the best hospitals in the world and these processes will be done routinely, "he predicts, although his impression is that he begins with simpler organs than the heart.

The technological evolution of 3D printers will allow us to obtain better resolution and duplication of small blood vessels, and not only the most important as it is now. "We have to keep developing the printed heart, the cells must be made up of a pumping capacity, they can now contract, but they have to work together," Dvir said. At first, the hearts printed on the animals will be transplanted, probably within a year, he said. "I do not want to give a timetable for clinical trials in men," he concluded.