Researchers from the Tel Aviv University, Israel have printed out the world’s first 3D heart printed from human cells and patient-specific biological material with blood vessels.
This feat has been described as a major breakthrough in engineering replacements for failing organs as Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with heart transplant offered as the only alternative source, this new approach may just be the panacea to the end-stage heart failure commonly experienced in absence of a donor.
A miniature version of the heart was printed using the patient’s biological materials. This is the first time anyone has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers according to Prof. Tal Dvir who led the research.
He also disclosed that although the hearts can currently contract, there is still a need for the hearts to learn to “behave like hearts”.
The findings have been published today, April 15th in a study in Advanced Science, an open access Journal.