Researchers have successfully generated cartilage tissue using a 3D bioprinter, an advance that could lead to new treatments for osteoarthritis.
3D bioprinting
- Bioprinted tissue can be used to repair cartilage damage or to treat osteoarthritis in which joint cartilage degenerates and breaks down.
- The team used cartilage cells harvested from patients who underwent knee surgery, and these cells were then manipulated in a laboratory, causing them to rejuvenate and revert into pluripotent stem cells cells that have the potential to develop into many different types of cells.
- Stem cells were then expanded and encapsulated in a composition of nanofibrillated cellulose and printed into a structure using a 3D bioprinter.
- The stem cells were treated with growth factors that caused them to differentiate correctly.
What is osteoarthritis ?
The wearing down of the protective tissue at the ends of bones (cartilage) occurs gradually and worsens over time. Joint pain in the hands, neck, lower back, knees or hips is the most common symptom.
Source : The Hindu
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