3D bioprinting is the process of creating cell patterns in a confined space using 3D printing technologies, where cell function and viability are preserved within the printed construct.
Current 3D printing technology has advanced quickly in recent years, enabling people to print 3D models of non-living objects. More recently, researchers in the biomedicine have also begun to use this technology to print human organs and tissues with devices called “3D Bioprinters.” Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) is internationally one of the leading research institutions in this field. Using biodegradable gel and actual human cells as ink, they have been able to print cell structures layer-by-layer.
Think of a regular printer that uses various inks to generate a photographic image. Instead of inks and flat paper, sprayer jets build layers using whatever materials technicians add (plastics, metals, etc.). 3D “bioprinting” —the term used to describe organic creations — works the very same way, though biological materials are loaded into the supply cartridges in lieu of plastics and other materials.
Aether 1 Bioprinter
