Scientists have succeeded in printing the human cornea

British scientists have succeeded for the first time in printing a human cornea using 3D printing technology. A special bio-ink that researchers have developed could eventually help millions of people around the world suffering from blindness.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle have announced that they have succeeded in making human corneaówka using 3D printing technology. The technique used could provide an unlimited number of horns in the futureówek, which in turn means that millions of waspsób can avoid blindness.

The key in scientists’ researchów was a bio-serum, with whichórego printed an artificial hornówka. The scientists made it from comóstem recs of the recipient of the organ being created, alginic acid (a substance found in algae used for tissue regeneration) and the protein collagen.

– Our unique ink, combined with alginates and collagen, maintains the comóstem cells alive, producing a material thatóry is rigid enough to hold itsój shape, but also soft enough to be squeezed out of the nozzle of a 3D printer – said Che Connon, professor of tissue engineering at the University of Newcastle, et alóroutor of publications in „Experimental Eye Research”.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle have been working for several years to obtain a suitable bio-ink. Their hydrogel can hold comóstem cells alive for weeks. All at room temperature. Comócells retain a viability of 83 percent. Bio-ink developed allows horn to be printedówks, as a series of concentric vertebralóin less than 10 minutes.

– Many teamóin research around the world is looking for the perfect bio-ink, whichóry would be suitable for organ printingów. We have developed a finished bio-ink containing comór stem cells allowing tissue printing without worrying about culturing comórek separately – explained Connon.

Rogówka is one of the outer layers of the eye, whichóra is involved in zarówno in focusing light, as well as protecting the inner eye. Damage to the corneaówki can interfere with the normal ability to see.

Printed by British researchers of hornóThe wki are not yet ready to be implanted in humans. Scientists still need to make sure that human bodies won’t reject them and that they will fit and function properly. As Connon stated, it may take several years before the first printed horn transplantation occursówki.

This is a major step toward solving the problemów with a deficit of hornówks for transplantation. With the technology developed, it will be possible to obtain an unlimited number of hornsówek for transplantation, which could helpóc millions of osób. Of course, hornóThe cells need to be produced at zamówien to have the right size shape.

– We have shown that it is possible to print hornówki using wspóthe cells taken from the patient’s eye, and that this approach has the potential to combat the ogreóglobal shortageór rogówks for transplantation – said Connon.