The technology overcomes every day the great advances of the past. Whether in the field of communication, transportation, food, clothing, medicines, etc., there is always new news that promises to improve and facilitate the lives of human beings.
This time Medicine took an important leap with the development of new cardiac components, which will function as implants for those who suffer from serious heart problems and their only option is to transplant.
A group of researchers from the University of Tel Aviv, in Israel, created the first impression of the heat produced from the patient’s cells and biological materials. This with the aim of making the piece immunologically, biochemically, cellular and anatomically compatible with the receiver.
The heart was able to print completely, including cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers that were produced from recreating the heart’s impression model.
The materials used for printing were extracted from cell tissue, then separated and reprogrammed into stem cells, which contain extracellular macromolecules such as collagen and glycoproteins.
These elements were mixed with hydrogel to then create a kind of printing ink, which was finally reprogrammed with the patient’s cells and gave life to the cardiac components.
The importance of creating these components – from materials extracted from the patient – is that it increases the chances of eliminating implant rejection and other hazards.
For now, the heart that was printed is the size of a newborn’s fist, but it is expected that with a new redesign of the size of the mold a perfect and viable human heart will be achieved for its use.
In addition, the team is also looking to identify the process by which the heart not only has a stable and viable model that is not rejected but also manages to pump blood.
The real challenge begins now that the team already has a real heart piece and must find a way to make it work just as a real heart would.
This breakthrough gives hope for those people who expect compatible transplants or live with a congenital heart defect. Hopefully, this discovery is accessible in many parts of the world.