3D打印實現醫學重大突破

Printing a New Heart

心臟病是如今全球的頭號殺手之一。許多心臟病患者都需要接受心臟移植。然而，病患們很難找到合適的心源，就算真的遇上了，身體也經常會對移植的心臟產生排斥反應。

但如今，心臟病患者有了新希望。據《尖端科學》刊登的一項研究表明，來自以色列特拉維夫大學的研究人員于近日3D打印出了一顆人類心臟。“這是人類首次成功設計并打印出一顆完整的心臟。”塔爾·德維爾在接受采訪時表示。

這顆心臟具備細胞、血管、心室以及其他心臟正常運作所需的結構。但科學家們仍需進行進一步的研究，才能將這顆3D打印心臟放入人體。一方面，這顆實驗心臟只有拇指大小。另一方面，盡管它能像肌肉一樣收縮，但卻不能像真正的心臟那樣具備泵血功能。目前來看，這顆心臟樣品就像一架設備齊全、卻還不能起飛的小飛機。但這次的研制成果依然被視為醫學界的一項重大突破。

在實驗過程中，研究人員用干細胞技術將人類脂肪組織轉變為人類心臟組織。該組織將作為3D打印機的“生物墨水”，確保心臟中的組織來自患者本人。因此，在理想情況下，如果這顆心臟被放入需要進行移植的患者體內，產生器官排斥反應的風險將會降低。

“患者們無須等待移植，或者吃藥預防排斥反應，”研究人員們在接受采訪時表示，“所需的心臟將被打印出來，完全為每位患者量身定制。”

而科學家們認為，3D打印也能被用于打印其他人體器官。他們預見有朝一日3D打印器官將會成為日常醫療實踐。“或許10年內，全球最好的醫院內都會配備器官打印機，而這些操作將會十分常見。”德維爾表示。(孫曄供稿）

以色列的研究人員于近日3D打印出了一顆人類心臟

Heart disease is one of the major killers in the world today. Many who suffer from it must have hearttransplants. However, it's difficult to get a suitable heart donation, and even if a patient survives the wait, his or her body often rejects the heart.

But there is now new hope for sufferers of heart disease. According to a study published in thejournal Advanced Science, researchers from Israel's Tel Aviv University printed a 3D human heart recently. “This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart, ” professor Tal Dvir said.

The new heart is complete with cells, blood vessels, chambers and other structures a heart needs to function normally. But scientists still have more to figure out before the 3D-printed heart can be fitted into the body. For one thing, the experimental heart is only the size of a thumb.And, although it can contract like a muscle, it cannot pump out blood like a real one. At present, the heart prototype is like a tiny airplane that has all of the right parts, but can't fly.However, the development is still regarded as a major breakthrough in medicine.

In the experiment, the researchers turned human fat tissue into human heart tissue with stem celltechnology. The tissue was then turned into “bio-ink” for a 3D printer to ensure that tissue in the heart came from the patients themselves. So ideally, if it were to be placed in the body of someone in need of a transplant, there would be less risk of organ rejection.

“Patients will no longer have to wait for transplants or take medications to prevent their rejection, ” researchers said. “Instead, the needed heart will be printed, fully personalized for every patient. ”

But the scientists think that 3D printing can be used to create other human organs. They foresee a time when the 3D printing of organs will be an everyday medical practice. “Maybe, in 10 years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world and these procedures will be conducted routinely, ” Dvir said.