Bio-printing actual body parts

[JAZ]

There is a new experimental technique being used by scientists who have developed a way of 3D "printing" living cells into organs. Perhaps it will eventually be possible to use a similar technique with different media to "print" art objects too.
I know that this is a stretch, but it sounds intriguing to me. I hope this link works:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19025474.300&feedId=online-news_rss20
JAZ

[grommet]

Too cool! I am amazed. I wonder how durable all the manufactured stuff is? Obviously enough to hang together, but what's the limit & longevity?
Cure a birth defect by running a new part off on the inkjet...

[Tandigon]

Well it's here at last ! In my presentation at the American Association of Anaplastologists at Toronto in 1999, I pointed out that for those with loss or absence of external body parts, the new millenium will indeed have many more options. The one that we are providing now, namely Medical Silicone polymer life like restorations, may eventually go lower down the list. My recommendation was for us to evolve along with new technologies, begin incorporating them in our field, so that we will yet have a role in restoration. Quite a few of my colleagues are using rapid prototyping methods, but must finally create a mold in which to cast the material. Others are using the same tech to visualize 3D models by way of bio modeling to aid planned surgeries or for diagnosis. A few others are using the same bio modeling tech to create the scafoldings for tissue engineering. And now finally bio printing tissue is here. The scope is only limited by ones own imagination.

Hats off to new technologies. But as I also said at that same conference, that where I live and work, in the third world, patient's will still need me for a long time to come.
Meanwhile am gonna educate myself.

"Tandigon honey, why are you scanning me?" " Its for our 3D album love"

[adam_brandejs]

reminds me of the artist Oran catts work. both based in reality.

[Johnny_masto]

We have been making mater parts for a Bio engineering company. They are taking our 3d Systems SLA parts and making a silicon mold. From thta mold, they are injecting a biocompatable material like a "bone cement" that can be placed in the human body. We have made over 50 skull plates to replace the old metal plates.

John M
M2 Systems

[Tandigon]

Hello

There is a difference between bio printing body parts which actually prints out cells in a 3D format and Tissue engineering seeded cells in a scaffold. From what you describe, it seems that you are given CAT or MRI data from which you could create a proto of the missing bony structure. From that bony structure the other company would use special medical silicones to create a mold into which they would then cast a bio degradable material. Thus your proto is coverted into a replica of the missing bony part but in a bio compatible material which is designed as an open cell structure (porous). Thereafter the porous openings are seeded with bone cells. The total component is then surgically implanted. Over a period of time the seeded bone cells nourished by the body would form a bone in the same shape as your converted proto, while the bio compatible scaffold would get absorbed at a calculated rate.
This is called tissue engineering.

However in your bio I read that you are training Sculptors to use your process, so if I may suggest, you contact the American Anaplastology Association and offer the facility to their members too. The reason is explained in my reply to this thread earlier. I see Anaplastologists begining to design internal body part, including those of soft tissue and cartilage, using the new tech of tissue engineering. They will later probably evolve to bio printing. It seems inevitable.

Tandigon

[fritchie]

JAZ - This was a great post of yours that I missed originally. The New Scientist article also stated near the end that an earlier, also recent procedure, was to build a matrix in the desired shape and insert seed cells into this matrix. Over a period of weeks, the cells would form a complete organ of the desired shape.

The article reported that about 7 bladders had been constructed in this way and then inserted into patients. I suppose the patients’ own cells would be used, for antirejection purposes. Limitation of human testing with new procedures to a small initial number, as here, is standard. Thus, this matrix-forming procedure actually is far advanced over the bio-printing one, but the latter probably will be the method of choice, given its further development. Great news for patients, with both procedures! And definitely of interest to sculptors.