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Scientists have developed a 3D printing technique capable of recreating the complex geometry of blood vessels and which could one day be used for the production of artificial arteries and artificial tissues.
A study, published in the journal Nature Communications, describes a layer-by-layer printing method offering programmable control of fine grain on stiffness.
The results could lead to better, more personalized treatments for people with hypertension and other vascular diseases.
"The idea was to add independent mechanical properties to 3D structures that could mimic the body's natural tissues," said Xiaobo Yin, associate professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, United States .
"This technology allows us to create customizable microstructures for disease models," Yin said.
Hardened blood vessels are associated with cardiovascular disease, but it has always been difficult to find a solution for viable replacement of arteries and tissues.
To overcome these obstacles, researchers have found a unique way to take advantage of the role of oxygen in defining the final form of a 3D printed structure.
"Oxygen is usually a bad thing because it causes incomplete hardening.Here we use a layer that allows a fixed rate of oxygen permeation," said Yonghui Ding, postdoctoral researcher at CU Boulder. .
By tightly controlling oxygen migration and subsequent exposure to light, researchers have the freedom to control which areas of an object solidify to become harder or softer, while retaining the same geometry.
"This is a profound development and a first encouraging step in our goal of creating structures that work as a healthy cell should work," Ding said.
As a demonstration, the researchers printed a small figure of Chinese warrior, so that the outer layers remain hard while the inside remains soft.
The table-size printer is currently able to work with biomaterials up to 10 microns, about one tenth of the width of a human hair.
Researchers are hopeful that future studies will further improve capacity.
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