Scientist turns to ink-jet printer for a new heart

Scientist turns to ink-jet printer for a new heart

afp.google.com

The technology is the same as that of the simple inkjet printer found in homes and offices, but Japanese scientist Makoto Nakamura is on a mission to see if it can also produce human organs.

The idea is for the printer to jet out thousands of cells per second -- rather than ink droplets -- and to build them up into a three-dimensional organ.

"It would be like building a huge skyscraper on a micro level using different kinds of cells and other materials instead of steel beams, concrete and glass," he told AFP in this city in central Japan.

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I had to check my calander to make sure it is not April.
Surely this cannot be for real. It would be cool if it was but still...?
With the way technology is these days wouldn't put it past them.

While Nakamura says it would take him some 20 years to develop a heart, the feat could pave the way to mass produce "good hearts" for patients waiting for transplants.

A heart made of cells originating from the patient could eliminate fears that the body would reject it.

It is quite a while away yet, but if they can get it working, how many other parts will they be able to create? Might even lead to direct cloning if the body parts can be made and grown quickly.

afp.google.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by VIKINGANT


I'm sure some ultra-religious conservative will be opposed to his idea. Saving lives is a wonderful thing as long as you don't alter "God's plan!"

Yep, they can also print out food for example. Ink jet food

I also remember a program that I recently saw that there is a prototype of printer that can work with a special plastic. I saw the results of someone printing out a fork. Looks rather crude and it took several hours by spraying on layers but it was a work in progress.

An older article From what I understand some rather good progress towards creating a liver has been done.

Still got a ways to go but things are looking hopeful for the future.

reply to post by Deson


The article link you posted was very interesting, I had heard about "building" bladders using a sort of lattice scaffolding of the grown tissue ,but this stuff is in the realm of Star Trek .

I realise a lot of this is in its infancy , but some of the experiments they have been doing already are fascinating .


Science Daily/University of Missouri-Columbia

In the study, scientists took cells from a chicken heart and used them to form bio-ink particles, which were then printed on to thick sheets. Heart cells must be synchronized for the heart to beat properly. When the bio-ink particles were first printed, the cells did not beat in unison, but as the cellular spheroids fused, the structure eventually started beating just as a heart does.

What a moment that would have been, when the "structure" started beating.

[edit on 22-10-2008 by UmbraSumus]

[edit on 22-10-2008 by UmbraSumus]

This has been under study for a while, and if it can succeed, it is indeed a miraculous blessing for everyone who needs an organ or body part. It's based on the use of adult stem cells to grow the cells that are used to build the organ. At least, that was the last info I had on it.

The first time I heard of it, I thought someone as a few cards short of having the box they came in. But really, this sounds realistic after you research the data on it.

Originally posted by Scramjet76
I'm sure some ultra-religious conservative will be opposed to his idea. Saving lives is a wonderful thing as long as you don't alter "God's plan!"

Sorry to disappoint you, but this is one Christian conservative who applauds the research completely. I hope this doesn't destroy your world view.

TheRedneck

reply to post by VIKINGANT

No they're not joking. Japanese do this kind of thing. Another example, this precursor to the holodeck.