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Researchers Build 3D Printer That Makes Tissue-Like Material

Posted by samzenpus on from the printing-a-little-guts dept.

carmendrahl writes "3-D printers don't build only solid objects anymore. They also build liquid objects, thanks to a research team at the University of Oxford. The group custom crafted a 3-D printer to squirt tiny liquid droplets from its nozzles. The 3-D patterned droplets can mimic biological tissues, such as nerve fibers, and may have potential in tissue engineering applications. An expert not involved with the study is cautious about endorsing the tissue engineering applications because they're not yet demonstrated, but praises the team for extending 3-D printing to new classes of materials."

6 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. biological repair system by houbou · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That will be one of the things I can see this do, to litterally repair any parts, might even be used for plastic surgery as a way to rebuilding a new face

  2. Imagine this! by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Imagine building building out a structure about 2 inches in diameter and about a foot or two in length. It is made up of buckyballs, made of rubber walls. Inside of the balls are filled with a magnetized fluid, some kind of polymer that reacts to magnetic field. When an electric field is applied all these polymers curl up tight and become small in volume. when it is removed they will allow themselves to be stretched out. That would be the artificial muscle, with ability to pull in and allow itself to be stretched out.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  3. I know something new it can make me by alen · · Score: 2

    Just a few more inches is all I need

  4. Fifth Element by div_2n · · Score: 2

    I know I can't be the only one to think of this movie when I heard this.

  5. There's been a bit of this for about 5 years ... by dbIII · · Score: 2

    ... and some places are already working on nerve cells.
    The news here is probably a better method than previously but the journalist probably jumped to conclusions about first steps.

  6. Market disruption by turkeyfeathers · · Score: 3, Funny

    The folks at Kleenex must be worried. When people can print their own tissues at home, why would they buy a box of them in the store?