Inventing tissue-like materials living with 3D printers

According to a study published April 4 in the American Journal of Science, British scientists used a three-dimensional (3D) printer to create living tissue-like materials that one day that can serve medical research purposes.

These materials are made up of thousands of small droplets linked together in lipid membranes, which can perform some functions of human cells.

According to British scientists, these "small droplet networks" may be components of a new technology used to test pharmaceuticals and replace damaged tissues in the human body.

Because these materials are purely synthetic materials without genome and replication, it allows to avoid problems that other artificial tissue types have encountered such as cell tissue types. origin.

Professor Hagan Bayley, one of the scientists said, the goal of scientists is not to create materials identical to living tissue but to create structures capable of performing functions. of these tissues.

Scientists have shown the ability to create networks of tens of thousands of tiny water droplets connected by tiny holes like protein holes and nerves that can transmit electrical signals to the entire structure. .