FRESH 3D bioprinting method enables research to 3D bioprint full-scale human hearts

Recently, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have found a solution
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They developed a technique called Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) to 3D bioprint the functional components of the human heart (blood vessels, valves and ventricular beats) using collagen as a bioink with unprecedented resolution and fidelity
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The findings were published in the journal Science
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In the latest study, the FRESH 3D bioprinting method developed in Feinberg's lab allows collagen to be deposited layer-by-layer in a support gel, giving the collagen a chance to solidify before being removed from the support gel
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Using FRESH technology, after printing, the support gel is melted by heating the gel from room temperature to body temperature
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That way, the researchers could remove the support gel without damaging the collagen or the cell-printed structures
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Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a 3D bioprinted collagen technology that can create the fully functional components of a human heart
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Image credit: CMU

FRESH This approach is very exciting for the field of 3D bioprinting as it allows collagen scaffolds to be printed on large-scale human organs
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And it is not limited to collagen, and a variety of soft biomaterials such as fibrin, alginate, and hyaluronic acid can be used as bioinks
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3D bioprinting via FRESH technology provides a robust and adaptable platform for tissue engineering
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What's more, the researchers also made an open-source design so anyone could build and obtain a low-cost, high-performance 3D bioprinter
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In the near future, Feinberg said, work on repairing hearts that have lost function, such as due to heart disease or liver damage, will be carried out
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Going forward, FRESH will have many applications in regenerative medicine, from wound repair to organ bioengineering
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Challenges that remain are the billions of cells needed to print large tissues, how to achieve manufacturing scale and follow regulatory procedures so that they can be tested in animals and humans
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Despite the long way to go, we are one step closer to realizing the dream of 3D bioprinting a full-scale human heart
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FRESH has quickly become the bioprinting platform of choice for many tissue engineers
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FRESH enables bioprinting using any soft-gel biomaterial at higher resolutions without the constraints of geometric complexity
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FRESH can be integrated into standard bioprinting workflows and implemented on extrusion bioprinters such as the BIO X™
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FRESH has revolutionized bioprinting, enabling researchers to address pressing challenges of complex tissue structure and function
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For example, FRESH eliminates the tedious task of optimizing specific ink printing, allowing researchers to focus more on bioprinting true 3D scaffolds and tissues
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FRESH 3D bioprinting on the BIO X™ is as simple as placing the prepared LifeSupport™ tray on the print platform and placing the print needle in the center of the tray to start manufacturing complex geometries
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