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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsScientists Just 3D Printed a Human Cornea Using Stem Cells
These 3d printed artificial corneas could help millions restore their vision.
Researchers have created the most advanced artificial cornea ever using 3D printing and human stem cells. The technology, if successfully developed, could help millions of people around the world see a clearer future.
The cornea is the protective, clear outer layer covering the eye. When its damage, it creates serious vision problems or can cause blindness. Currently, people with damaged corneas hope for healthy corneas transplants from deceased donors, but the need far exceeds the supply.
Enter the artificial corneas developed by engineers from Newcastle University, detailed in a paper published in Experimental Eye Research. The 3D printed corneas are not easy to develop: first, theres the problem of distinctive curved shape of the human cornea. Researchers used a special camera to photograph a volunteers eyeballs to create 3D model, the first time that the cornea shape has been printed. Next, scientists need to create an ink thin enough to filter through a 3D printer, but firm enough to maintain a 3D shape. To get the right texture, researchers created a bioink using stem cells from donor corneas, adding it to alginate (a jelly-like goo) and collagen (ropy proteins). The result looks something like a contact lens, but can do a lot more to repair vision.
Artificial corneas will still require actual cornea donations, but theyll be able to make each cornea donation go a lot farther. Instead of replacing one damaged cornea with a healthy one, scientists would be able to grow enough cells from one donated cornea to print 50 artificial ones.
Hekate
(90,618 posts)DavidDvorkin
(19,473 posts)I wonder what progress has been made since then.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)People will be able to survive on printed parts rather than transplants or missing limbs!
The day they can print healthy nerve cells to cure back injuries and brain neurons to replace injured will happen.
Duppers
(28,117 posts)Thanks for posting.
Don't know if humans will survive long enough for scientists to be able to do this for retinas which are extremely more complicated than the cornea. Such a feat would save my hubby's sight tho.
TomSlick
(11,096 posts)I was on a waiting list for a very long time - in exquisite pain and no effective vision in one eye.
I still have keratoconus in the other eye - so far responsive to conservative treatment. I worry that I'm getting to old to be put on a waiting list. Maybe if I need a transplant in the future, there will be no waiting list.