Scientists use 3D printer for the first time successfully copied thumb bone (map)

[]: According to the new scientist website on March 9, reported recently, scientists first use 3-d printer successfully copied out of a man's thumb bone. This is a breakthrough for the surgeon will patients damaged or diseased bone cells with their own a copy of the same bones and paved the way for medical technology.

Switzerland Bourne Sergio hospital Ko Reyes · Wei Nan Tak (Christian Weinand) led the research team and successfully copied his thumb bone, he said: "in theory, we can duplicate any bone. ”

Wei Nan de also in laboratory rats back "planting" his thumb bone, as early as 1997, the Massachusetts General Hospital (Massachusetts General Hospital), Jay · Sen reference (Jay Vacanti) in the same way, using human chondrocytes cultivate a human ear.

However, southern Germany, actually, using experimental mouse instead of the human body is not necessary. For example, if someone lost thumb, you can copy out in situ. Now, the only option is to use the patient's own toes instead of his thumb, or other place of bone fragments.

Copy the bones need several steps. First, you need a picture of the desired replication bones 3D, if the head is missing or damaged, you can use a pair of the same bone in another try to do as a mirror image. The image is placed inside a three-dimensional inkjet printer, the printer which add a thin multilayer materials, a stack one layer, until forming three-dimensional objects.

Wei Nande in printer in the human body contains the tricalcium phosphate and polylactic acid both natural materials. Bone cells to be printed will be planted in a bracket, bones "BRACKET" there are thousands of small pores, thus it¡¯s helpful for the growth of bone cells, and eventually replace and completely biodegradable scaffold.

The research team did Exchange after the surgery, extracted from bone marrow cells, CD117 CD117 cells in experiments will develop Osteoblast original cells. Scientists use bone scaffold of a gel nourishes and cultivate the original cell. Finally, after a 15-week time frame in the mouse back under the skin of the suture, until completely changing adult bone bracket.

United Kingdom Bristol University stem cell researcher Anthony g · Hollander (Anthony Hollander) said, this research project was a year ago for a breakthrough. Finland Tampere University of Rita · Su (Riitta Suuronen) Organization of group a men's jawbone "stand" in his abdomen, and brought about 9 months. In this experiment, these stem cells from the patient's own adipose cells.

Hallander said: "this copy head method has the advantage that can guarantee the head looks like with the original, the next step we will prove that this deeply rooted method is valid, and deeply rooted in process vessels. "Willa sur de said:" experimental proof vessels from mice get enough nutrients, so the same approach can also be used in the human body. I hope that in the near future be replicated in the clinic for patients. Although you need to do more in-depth exploration, but this technique is to determine the future. ”