In recent years, the 3D printing has made enormous progress and, if we add the prefix “bio“, we open the door to an extraordinary world: the bIostampa 3Da technology that promises to transform the future of medicine with applications into regenerative medicine, in the development of drugs and in the production of synthetic meat. In 1455 Johann Gutenberga German printer, published a version of the Bible that marked a revolution in our way of life. Almost 600 years have passed since that first book printed in Europe, and today we are on the threshold of another revolution: the possibility of printing the first human organ. The process in question is based on additive production starting from a digital file and then involved a combination of cell And biomaterialsi bioinchiostri or bioink To generate structures, for example, capable of replacing damaged organs and fabrics. 3D biostampa is an emerging and promising field, and although there are still many technical limits And scientific To be overcome to obtain identical tissues to the physiological ones, the progress made are encouraging and bode well in a future in which this technology becomes an integral part of medicine and clinical research.
What is 3D Bioprinting
There 3D biostampaor 3D Bioprintingis a process that uses the technology of “traditional” 3D printers to create and imitate biological structures. To achieve this, use the so -called “bioinchiostri“, consisting of mixtures of biocompatible cells and materials. In an analogy with the print invented in 1455, i biomaterialswhich provide support for cells, can be imagined as paper, while the cell themselves represent the ink.
Biomaterials can originate naturalsuch as gelatin or collagen, or syntheticincluding bioplastics such as poly-lactic acid (Plane) or the poly-ethilele-gricole (Peg). In both cases, they are designed to be biocompatible And biodegradablefundamental characteristics to avoid immune reactions and recreate the natural environment that surrounds the cells in our body in the most accurate way possible.
How 3D biostampa works
The 3D biostampa process is based on additive productionin practice, is used digital file as a model to build an object layer after layer. The whole procedure must take place in sterile environments To ensure that cells and biomaterials are not contaminated, thus ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the printed tissues. The main techniques include the ink jet print, the one with extrusion and those that use the use of light.
Regardless of the technique, the workflow of biostampa is divided into three phases Main:
- Pre-biostampa: we start with the creation of a digital 3D modelwhich can be designed from scratch, based on a scan or made through specific software. In addition, at this stage, the bioinchiostro: the cells are mixed with biomaterial, or, for cells without cells, only the basic material is prepared.
- Bioprinting: the actual printing phase. In the press for extrusionthe bioinchiostro is inserted in cartridges and printed layer for layer in the desired shape. For printing based on lighta photosensitive bioinchiostro is used and the structure is modeled through projected light. Any type of fabric you want to mimic requires specific combinations of cell, materials And techniques.
- Post-biostampa: printed structures are stabilized through a process called reticulationwhich makes them more solid And resistant. This occurs using UV light, heat or chemical solutions. Finally, the fabrics are immersed in a nutritional or culture medium and cultivated in incubators for develop further.
The result of this process? An extraordinary fusion of biology, engineering And technology which opens new possibilities to reproduce the complexity of life.
Applications of biostampa in medicine
The technology and structures created through 3D biostampa offer researchers the opportunity to study the functions of the human body in the laboratory, with a higher biological relevance than the traditional two -dimensional models of cell cultures. 3D biostampa finds application in different areas, including regenerative medicine and pharmacology:
- 3D printed organs: Although the printing of completely functional organs is still a future goal, progress in this field have been extraordinary. So far, 3D biostampa has made it possible to create fabrics such as skin, cornea And cartilage in the laboratory, opening new possibilities for the regenerative medicine. The final goal is to be able to print complex organs ready for the transplantoffering an innovative solution to the growing deficiency of donors.
- Development of new drugs and models of diseases: The search for new drugs with 3D printed models allows you to test new treatments more realistic And precise. These models replicate human fabrics, offering an ethical and advanced alternative compared to Animal experiments. Thanks to biostampa, it is possible to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a drug in conditions similar to those of the human body, reducing time And costs in the development of new therapies.
- Synthetic meat: It is the result of a cell cultivation process operated in the laboratory on stem animal cells. The food industry and researchers consider it a more sustainable alternative to the production of meat. Since in vivo cellular behavior is influenced by the space provisions, create a 3D environment representative for cells is essential. A biocompatible scaffold could be produced with a 3D biostamant by offering further opportunities for biostamare bioinchiostri loaded with cells with precision, unparalleled resolution and speed.
A fundamental aspect of 3D biostampa is the possibility of creating structures and organs customized for each patient. Using the patient’s cells itself, you can produce fabrics and organs perfectly compatible with its immune system. This approach not only drastically reduces the risk of rejection in transplantsbut also opens the way to highly personalized studies, favoring one Customized medicine.
