What is it about?
End-stage liver diseases have long been a threat to human health, and so far, the treatment of these diseases lacks of effective means. Recently, the emergency of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technologies, together with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) techniques, has driven the rapid growth of this field toward liver therapies.
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Why is it important?
Liver 3D printing is a systematic engineering project consisting of many different procedures. From information collection of diseased livers, to 3D printing of liver substitutes (containing the major structural, material and functional characters), and to clinical applications, suitable ‘bioinks’ and ‘bioprinters’ have played essential roles.
Perspectives
Advanced ‘bioinks’ and ‘bioprinters’ that can be used for vascularized and innervated liver manufacturing should be developed. Further studies for the incorporation of biliary networks in the bioartificial livers should be emphasized. When all the bottle-neck problems for liver 3D printing have been solved, batch (i.e. mass) and personalized production of bioartificial livers will make it very easy to treat end-stage liver diseases.
Xiaohong Wang
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Can your work affect your kidney’s health?, Reviews on Environmental Health, December 2019, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2019-0014.
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