3D Printed Stem Cells
Scientists have successfully printed human stem cells with a 3D printer.
There seems to be no limit to what 3D printers can’t make. Houses on the Moon, music, even representations of your online social life. However despite all that, this still surprised us. Using a device with a nozzle .002 of an inch wide, UK scientists have successfully ‘printed’ functional human stem cells. Using a ‘valve based printer’ the scientists were able to bond the cells with ‘bio-inks’ meaning that like natural stem cells, they are capable of becoming any cell type in your body.
The medical implications of this could be huge. Scientists suggest that doctors may one day be able to heal internal injuries without the need for surgery, but also the overcoming of the controversy that surrounds stem-cell research and their reliance on embryos means research could potentially continue unabated.
Discussion