Need a New Liver? Then Just Print Yourself One

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The field of regenerative medicine is moving from the realm of science fiction to science fact. From fingers and ears to complex organs like livers or hearts, scientists at Wake Forest University are making headway into growing human body parts in a laboratory.

This is no ordinary printer. It's been configured to print living organs.

Researchers have filled the ink cartridges with a cocktail of cells and nutrients.

Today they've printed a rat heart - in the future they hope to print human ones.

They watch as the newly made heart begins to beat.

This novel process is called bioprinting.

[Dr.Anthony Atala, Director, Institute of Regenerative Medicine]:
" ... with printing an organ we have so many different types of cells that we have to use over and over again but just put them in the right sequence."

Serious burn victims may soon benefit from the research.

[Mohammad Albanna, Researcher]:
"Instead of waiting for the skin itself to provide this material which takes around two weeks, we are providing it right away so forming the seal and providing the bedding for cells so that they can grow fast and immediately."

This ferret liver had all it's own cells washed away and the remaining tissue has been coated with human liver cells.

After spending some time in a bioreactor it will emerge as a human liver.

[Pedro Baptista, Researcher]:
"It's like they have their own eyes or what we call receptors that recognise the areas where they should attach or where they should be and they do that on their own because we kind of mix them together and they sort themselves out."

Baptista believes this technique will make waiting lists for organ transplants a thing of the past.

[Pedro Baptista, Researcher]:
"We still don't have the technology to take a few millions cells, which is how much we get from a biopsy, to billions."

Regenerative medicine research attracts billions in funding every year.

Dr.Atala says the money is well spent.

[Dr.Anthony Atala, Director, Institute of Regenerative Medicine]:
"The goal of regenerative medicine is really to try and replace tissues or repair them. But the promise of regenerative medicine is that it can offer a cure rather than just manage disease."

Dr. Atala believes making human organs is not so far off.

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[ManAtPlace1]

Now we can drink even more! We have nothing to fear!

[boobunny100]

@t4705mb6 Sounds like you are super informed... maybe you should go to the U of M and help them out with all of your knowledge. This is a huge step forward - and it will always be no matter how far regenerative medicine comes and it is nothing like a cartoon. This is something that has the potential to save many lives - not something to be laughed at.

[t4705mb6]

@boobunny100 Faith? I'm not speaking of "conspiracies" but facts. Are you aware of the history of medicine? It didn't come into it's own until the early 1900s. Industrialists (rich) recognized the money making opportunities of "health care" , had very important "top" meetings, decided to corner the market & put their investments into control through foundations, higher learning & all medical products.

BUSINESS relies on SICK people. NOT healthy people.

Research. It's not hidden.

[boobunny100]

@t4705mb6 I'm sorry I haven't lost faith in medicine like you obviously have and can think of several people that the technology could potentially help. I just don't think it is anything like a cartoon, and was amazed at how much sense it made, and how conceptually simple the idea was. But I'll keep your comments in mind in August when I leave for grad school.

[t4705mb6]

@boobunny100 Medicine was industrialized in the '20s and '30s. Do you you know what that means?

I have worked in management for a "fortune 250" international corporation for 2 decades. I attended top board meetings. Know what they talk about?

They talk about money. Know why? Because money means a luxurious lifestyle & power over others. That's right. I was THERE!

They LAUGH at the "common" people & will do whatever it takes to maintain THEIR wealth.

Believe what you wish.

[TheNotoriousJesus]

@t4705mb6

But wait Sir! I have more experience then both of you! Iv lived 100 years so far and iv spent 80 of them doing what I do best, Medicine! Iv got so much qualifications in the field that your brain will hurt, let me get them ...il be back in a sec *rolls eyes*

Pronto?

[t4705mb6]

@boobunny100 You, BooBunny, are a 21 year old wise ass. Put in the years of university training and life skills I have and then get back to me.....and drop the stupid sarcasm.

[sintofg]

Right and people born with underdeveloped organs at birth through recent reproductive technologies is totally a systematic way of being kept down by the man and its such a bad thing to have to pay money to help their organs develop/replace.

Btw. there has been recent developments of reprogramming an adult tissue cells at the genetic level to that of a Pluripotent Stem Cell . But I bet most already knew that because everyone pays attention to medical developments.*Sarcasm*

[t4705mb6]

Fun to watch - like a cartoon.

This technology is very old but just now being presented to you as a HUGE step forward.

You, in their best hopes, should be sitting there with jaw dropped and eyes popping out at this ASTOUNDING revelation.

To those who are informed, bear with me. To the rest, there are secrets in medicine and health care already discovered you will NEVER even see! There is little profit to be made off of healthy people. Keeping people sick and charging them is VERY lucrative!