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Monthly Archives: May 2013

 

Me and Sad Keanu: A 3D-Printing Story – Alexis C. Madrigal – The Atlantic.

3D printing brings an Internet meme into the physical world to continue it new life.

 

(Image: Amanda Voisard)

3D replicas of unusual patient hearts are being printed at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC by reconstructing 3D models from 2D computerised tomography or data. The 3D printed models enable surgeons to familiarise themselves with the anatomy and even perform dry run operations.

That’s a clever use of all the 2D imagery from the scans!

3D printer shows surgeons secrets of strange hearts – health – 21 May 2013 – New Scientist.

Progress in printing with living cells has brought the future one step closer with the first printed functioning human liver section. Normally either thin sheets of cells are produced or living cells are deposited onto a 3D printed inert scaffold. One technique being developed prints with blobs of stem cells that enable structures closer to real tissue.

This latest research has managed to print a 4mm x 0.5mm section of functioning liver by printing out 20 layers of living liver cells and blood vessel lining cells. The blood vessel lining cells provide structure and provide nutrients to keep the 3D culture alive for 5 days.

The living tissue provides incredible scope for testing drugs and treatments on cultured organs.

3D printer makes tiniest human liver ever – health – 23 April 2013 – New Scientist.