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Create Living Cells With an Inkjet Printer

MattSparkes writes to tell us New Scientist has an article on the use of inkjet printing technology in creating biological tissue. From the article "An inkjet device that prints tiny 'bio-ink' patterns has been used to simultaneously grow two different tissues from the stem cells of adult mice. Surgeons could one day use the technology to repair various damaged tissues at the same time, the researchers say."

18 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. This lends a whole new meaning... by inode_buddha · · Score: 2, Funny

    This lends a whole new meaning to the phrase "Getting some ink"

    --
    C|N>K
    1. Re:This lends a whole new meaning... by zeromorph · · Score: 2, Funny

      and to facial toner.

      --
      "Hannibal's plans never work right. They just work." Amy/A-Team
  2. But imagine the price of ink by grahamsz · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure i could buy a new liver from the Russian mafia for less than the Lexmark ink required to print one.

  3. Works great until... by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

    You know they're going to gouge you for refills.

    1. Re:Works great until... by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I bet they'll charge you an arm and a leg.

  4. Overheard in an Operating Room by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    PC Load Letter? What the fuck does that mean?

  5. w00t! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm gonna make me a new girlfriend using only LaTeX and vim.

    1. Re:w00t! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      I'm gonna make me a new girlfriend using only LaTeX and vim.


      Why not skip vim and the printer and stick to your current latex-only girlfriend?
  6. BWAHAHA! Beowulf cluster by vivin · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now imagine if I have a Beowulf cluster of these... I could instruct them to print out THE PERFECT (NAKED) WOMAN! Bwahahaha!

    People say I should go out and meet women but I think this is so much cooler!

    --
    Vivin Suresh Paliath
    http://vivin.net

    I like
    1. Re:BWAHAHA! Beowulf cluster by RuBLed · · Score: 2, Funny

      Heed what other people say you must. Exist the perfect woman must not.

  7. Re:And I thought .... by monoqlith · · Score: 3, Funny

    For Windows Vista systems, the printer relies on the new "Plug and Live" technology.

    Unfortunately, the technology was released prematurely and is still in its "Plug and Die" phase of development.

  8. Printshop for Organs by alienuforia · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd really like to print out my own heart to give to my girlfriend on Valentine's Day. I think it would be bloody sweet.

  9. Ooo! I saw this in a movie once! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Come on! Cut to the chase! There's only one question I need answered:

    Can it print me a copy of Milla Jovovich?

  10. Let's save someone some time by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    United States Patent Application 732980759-32754321

    Protein structure for biochemical enforcement of growth factor ink expiry dates

    ABSTRACT

    A protein structure and associated amino acid sequence providing a set of functions for remotely enforcing expiry dates of growth factor ink.

    Inventors: MillionthMonkey

    Serial No.: 053243653216
    Series Code: 10
    Filed: December 11, 2006

    Claims

    1. An architecture for a system comprising: a greedy ink manufacturer, an end user, an ink expiration date, a hardware device capable of spraying growth factor protein containing inks into desired tissue growth patterns, an application program interface to support same.

    2. An architecture as recited in claim 1, wherein a biochemical timer is implemented with adjustable expiry date settings that may be set at time of manufacture, via expression of a sequence of amino acids (see Attachment A) generating a protein that processes an RNA strand at a fixed rate.

    3. An architecture as recited in claim 2, wherein an RNA template molecule of predetermined length is used at time of manufacture to control a timer as recited in claim 2.

    4. An architecture as recited in claim 3, wherein a biochemical clock is employed to trigger denaturation of growth factor proteins as recited in claim 1.

    5. An architecture as recited in claim 4, wherein the application program interface comprises: a first group of services related to discovery of an impending ink expiry event, a second group of services related to displaying numerous dialog boxes to the end user [as outlined in claim 1] asking for money, and a third group of services related to remotely extracting payment from an end user [as outlined in claim 1].

    6. An application program interface as recited in claim 5, wherein the first group of services comprises: first functions that enable ink manufacturer to specify an expiry date [as recited in claim 3] and implement enforcement of the expiry date by having a biochemical timer [as recited in claim 4] trigger denaturation of growth factors used in gene expression inks.

    CONCLUSION

    Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed invention.

    And I'm off to the patent office! Later, suckas!

  11. 5th element by zx-15 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Watch out, here comes Leeloo.

  12. Re:Ooo! I saw this in a movie once! by Datamonstar · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sure, but buy in bulk so you'll have enough left over to grow her some tits.

    --
    The eternal struggle of good vs. evil begins within one's self.
  13. Re:Ooo! I saw this in a movie once! by Kingrames · · Score: 2, Funny

    Screw that. Just make the tits.

    --
    If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
  14. Re:Publication requirement. by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 2, Funny
    A patent (usually) is not just abstract and claims. Between both parts should come a sufficiently precise description about how to achieve the claims.
    Oh yes. I have all this stuff in my "Appendix A".