3D Bioprinting: Printing Body Parts with Bio-Printers

This tutorial provides an overview of 3D bioprinting and 3D bio-printers. We’ll cover the basics of bioprinting, which is used to create body parts or organs, and the bioprinting process employed by bio-printers in the medical field.

A bio-printer is a specialized 3D printer designed to develop body organs or parts. The process it uses is called bio-printing. The types of body parts or organs that can be created include skin, blood vessels, bladder, stomach, kidney, and liver, among others.

Bioprinting utilizes bio-materials within a controlled, clean, and temperature-regulated environment. Software tools such as 3D CAD and CATIA-V5 are used for the 3D design and simulation of these body parts or organs. Common bio-materials include Fibrin Hydrogel materials, alginate-like polymers, and other naturally derived polymers like collagen, gelatin, chitosan, fibrin, and hyaluronic acid. These materials are typically used in the casting process.

3D Bioprinting Process | 3D Organ Printing

The bioprinting process can be broken down into three main stages: Pre-processing, Processing, and Post-Processing.

Here’s a detailed look at the steps involved in the 3D bioprinting process:

• Step 1: Virtual Model Creation: Once the desired dimensions for the organ are determined, a virtual model is created using 3D CAD or CATIA software.
• Step 2: Loading the Bio-printer: The design is then loaded into the head pin of the bio-printer. The bio-printer is pre-filled with hydrogel to form the organ’s structure. Depending on the organ being developed, stem cells may also be used.
• Step 3: Layer-by-Layer Printing: The organ is printed layer by layer. Typically, a hydrogel layer is created first as a frame. This is followed by differentiated stem cells. Printing usually starts from the inside and moves outward to maintain the correct thickness for the desired cavity structure.
• Step 4: Integration with the Human Body: A significant challenge is integrating the developed organ with the human body. Allowing blood to flow through the created cavities is essential to bring the organ to life.
• Step 5: Printing Time: The entire bioprinting process can take anywhere from 10 to 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the organ being printed. For example, knee cartilage takes less time to print than an oesophagus.
• Step 6: Post-Processing in a Bio-reactor: After printing, the parts are placed in a bio-reactor. Here, they are fed and cultivated to help the cells replicate in large numbers.
• Step 7: Controlled Environment: Throughout the process, appropriate humidity and temperature levels are maintained in a clean environment.
• Step 8: Tissue Production: This process can be used to produce tissues in various formats, as needed.

3D Bio-Printer Features | Machine which prints human organs

Here are some key features of 3D bio-printers used for organ printing:

• Cell Protection: Bio-printers output cells along with a dissolvable gel to protect the cells during the printing process.
• Multiple Cartridges: They utilize multiple cartridges, with one end connected to a micro-scale nozzle and the other connected to an air pressure controller. This allows for precise control over the dispensing volume.
• Real-Time Organ Production: Bio-printers can potentially produce organs directly on the human body in real-time, minimizing the time required for integration. Traditionally, organs are produced separately and then integrated, which adds complexity.

This bioprinting tutorial provides basic information on 3D bioprinting and the bio-printers used to produce human body parts or organs. This technology is still developing, and there’s plenty of room for research, particularly in reducing the time it takes to produce organs and improving the efficiency of integrating them with the human body.