3D Bioprinting
Step 1 — Harvest Patient Cells
Doctors collect cells from the patient, often from skin, blood, or fat. These cells can be reprogrammed into stem cells that can develop into different types of tissue.
Step 2 — Prepare “Bio-Ink”
Scientists mix:
- Living cells
- Hydrogel (a water-rich, jelly-like support material)
- Nutrients and growth factors
This mixture becomes the printable “bio-ink.”
Step 3 — Print Layer by Layer
A specialized 3D bioprinter extrudes the bio-ink layer by layer to build up the desired tissue structure, according to a digital 3D model.
Step 4 — Maturation in a Bioreactor
After printing, the tissue is placed in a bioreactor, where it can:
- Develop stronger internal structures
- Form or integrate small blood vessels
- Improve function (e.g., beating for heart tissue, filtering for kidney tissue)