3D Printing for Organ Transplant Aid

Anna Ekstrom

Fall 2023

3D Printing for Organ Transplant Aid

Rising organ demand and inadequate donors are major obstacles facing the modern medical world. Today, approximately 106,000 Americans are on a waiting list for suitable organs, with around 17 individuals dying daily due to organ failure (Barber, 2023). However, advances in 3D printing technology are providing hope to combat these rising mortality rates in the near future. According to Itedale Namro Redwan, the CSO of biotechnology company Cellink, we are roughly 15 to 20 years away from seeing clinical trials of organ transplants via 3D printing (Barber, 2023). In the 3D bioprinting process, individualized bioink is used to produce a functioning organ for the patient. 

 Organ transplant begins with modeling. CT scans, 3D scans, MRIs, etc., are performed on the patient, allowing the computer software to create a 3D image of the patient’s organ structure. Biopsies are also performed to collect patient cells that will be used to manufacture bioink. These scans allow an appropriate biomaterial to be chosen. Appropriate biomaterials must provide growth, adhesion, and signaling factors while additionally providing mechanical and structural support to the organ. Possible biomaterials include hydrogel, ceramic, polymers, and composites (Parihar et al., 2022). Synthetic polymers are combined with natural biomaterials to increase the printability of the bio-ink (3D Printed Organs: How, Why & When. (n.d.)). Finally, the patient’s organ is then decellularized. During the decellularization process, cellular components, including macromolecules and genetic materials, are chemically removed from the organ, creating an extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold. The naturally derived scaffold mimics the original organ and provides a framework for tissue development (Parihar, 2022). The scaffold is utilized in cell-scaffold-based bioprinting, where biomaterials are added to the scaffold with cell suspension. The cells can then proliferate and form predesigned tissue structures (Parihar, 2022). 

Another developing organ transport aid is scaffold-free bioprinting. Cells are programmed and arranged to perform a specialized function. The type of bioprinter chosen for the organ depends on factors such as speed, resolution, stability, and viscosity of the bioink. The most commonly used printers include microextrusion, laser-based, and inkjet (Parihar, 2022). After the bioprinting occurs, organ maturation begins, and the patient is monitored. 

Scientists have attempted to mimic skin, hepatic tissue, cartilage, bones, hearts (Parihar et al., 2022), retinal tissue, blood vessels, and muscle structures using 3D bioprinting (Barber, 2023). For instance, the first bioprint from live cells was implanted into a patient. The 20-year-old female subject was born without a right ear. After performing a small biopsy on the individual's left ear, the doctor collected and grew billions of cartilage cells. The patient's cells were used to create a bioink that was 3D printed into an ear. The implantation was a successful milestone for 3D bioprinting technology (Barber, 2023). 

Advances in 3D bioprinting have created numerous opportunities for the medical field. For instance, due to the utilization of autologous cells, the tissues implanted in the patient are not "new" to the body. As a result, the patient is less likely to reject the organ, leading to a faster and more efficient recovery than a standard organ transplant. Additionally, due to the individualization of the organs, 3D printing can cure specific, uncommon disorders and regenerate organs and limbs lost by an amputee individual. This opens a pathway to combating rare cases that were deemed impossible to overcome. 3D bioprinting has also proven successful in mimicking the structures of drugs. Artificial 3D-printed drugs can speed up the process of preclinical drug testing, increasing the rate of drug discovery and production. As a result of the 3D technological growth, the concept of 4D printing was recently created. With 4D bioprinting, structures could self-respond to stimuli such as heat, current, and osmotic pressure (Pirahar et al., 2022). All in all, 3D printing technology broadens the potential for attainable medicine in the near future. 

However, with 3D printing comes limitations. Scientists are currently struggling to produce larger structures due to their vascularity. These complicated organs require more research and testing in order to be replicated accurately. On top of this, the cost of the 3D bioprinting procedure is not obtainable by the average American. However, once this process becomes more normalized and practiced, it will reduce in cost. Lastly, like with every medical procedure, ethical issues are also proving challenging within the bioprinting process. Nevertheless, scientists and researchers are making daily advancements to make 3D bioprinting an accessible option for organ transplant aid. 

References

3D Printed Organs: How, Why & When. (n.d.). Cellink. https://www.cellink.com/blog/3d-printed-organs/

Barber, C. (2023, February 15). 3D-printed organs may soon be a reality. ‘Looking ahead, we’ll not need donor hearts’. Fortune Well. https://fortune.com/well/2023/02/15/3d-printed-organs-may-soon-be-a-reality/

Parihar, A., Pandita, V., Kumar, A., Parihar, D. S., Puranik, N., Bajpai, T., & Khan, R. (2022). 3D Printing: Advancement in Biogenerative Engineering to Combat Shortage of Organs and Bioapplicable Materials. Regenerative engineering and translational medicine, 8(2), 173–199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40883-021-00219-w