On the way to artificial lungs

Scientists have printed and transplanted new airways to mice for the first time

Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+

In the future, using the new technology, scientists primarily plan to print lungs, which, due to a shortage of donors, have to wait a very long time. This will be possible thanks to the use of stem cells that can naturally differentiate into various types of specialized lung cells. The method can then be adapted for any type of tissue or organ, the authors said.

Scientists from Lund University (Sweden) have developed new bio-ink, with the help of which they have already managed to print small airways and transplant them to mice. Biochernils based on human cells are placed in a special biocompatible frame printed on a 3D printer, and together they are the final "product" for transplantation. Alginate from seaweed and extracellular matrix from human lung tissue became the material for the frame, according to a press release from New bioink brings 3D-printing of human organs closer to reality.

The new generation of biochernils also support the maturation of respiratory tract stem cells into several cell types, the scientists explain.

3D-printed airways consisting of two types of cells (blue and yellow) remain open over time – VM.

This feature simplifies the whole process because it allows you to print fewer cell types for new tissue that are necessary for its functionality. Then the airways printed on a 3D printer were transplanted into mice. Scientists did not record side effects, but they saw that they supported the growth of new blood vessels.

Infiltration of blood vessels into the printed airways – VM.

They are currently continuing to monitor the animals to assess the functionality of the material in the long term. Then the scientists intend to conduct similar experiments on larger animals.

While the main goal of the team remains the printing of functional lungs, however, the stem cell-based approach allows the technology to be adapted for any type of tissue and organ.

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