In the quest to harness 3D printing technology for bioprinting complex human tissues and organs, one of the biggest problems has been finding a way to effectively build new blood vessels capable of supplying the printed tissues with the blood they need. Without such a means, bioprinted grafts and implants would be useless. Fortunately, numerous groups are rising to the challenge.
Most recently, research published by Rice University presented a new way to create artificial blood vessels. This research, conducted by a team led by assistant professor of bioengineering Jordan Miller, made use of sugar and silicone to create an implant with an intricate array of functional blood vessels. The team was able to connect the printed vessels to natural vessels, and observed that they were capable of transporting blood normally.
Prior to this, blood vessels had to grow organically throughout bioprinted tissues. This was a process that could take weeks, and often allowed many of the new cells to die off from lack of oxygen long before the vessels could ever reach them. Thanks to Miller and his team, medical practitioners will be able to develop grafts and implants more quickly and effectively.
