The past few years advancement in biotechnology has been extremely successful, with the creation of devices such as Biosensors and Bioplastics. However, one of the most successful innovations is Bioprinting; which can successfully be used to replicate human tissue. Bioprinting has developed a new world of healthcare, while helping patients who require organ transplants. 

 

Bioprinting is a category that falls under three dimensional printing. The main purpose is to print structures using cells, biomaterials and biological molecules.The question arises, why is it such a big deal? The ability to successfully replicate human tissue to develop organs, will reduce the mortality rate of patients who require to be placed on the organ transplant list. Many of these patients pass away before they are able to recieve the organ necessary because the system has them ranked according to their condition, age, geographic location etc. According to statistics provided by UNOS, there are nearly 15,000 patients in US who are on the waiting list for organ transplants. The statistics have displayed that roughly 20 patients die per day, while waiting for an organ transplant. Due to the increase in mortality, biotech companies have placed a large emphasis on bioprinting as it is still in the early stages of development.  Bioprinting would successfully be able to print the organs needed by mimicking how the cells work for that specific organ, allowing for the patient to have full functionality and quite possibly save their life. Scientific literature has predicted it takes roughly six-eigth months to typically print even a small patch. However, Biolife4D a biotechnology company was able to successfully replicate a patch of human cardiac tissue within a number of days defying all previous discoveries.

Due to bioprinting being fairly newly introduced, many researchers are using previously approved 3D printing techniques to improve organ printing. Techniques such as selective laser sintering and material jetting are preexisting innovations within the medical device industry. These devices are used to create varying products for surgical guides as well as patient oriented orthopaedic implants. Polymer science is a subfield in materials science primarily focusing on synthetic polymers, such as plastics and elastomers. Many scientists in this field have been able to effieictenly replicate and manipulate the characteristics of polymers to develop materials that contain specific biological, chemical, and physical traits. Polymer science has a lot of solutions for the issues that arise in 3D bioprinting making them extremely complementary to one another. Polymer science in relation to bioprinting has the solution to resolve biomimicry, vascularization as well as 3D anatomically correct biological structures. The combination of other pre-existing techniques with bioprinting can allow for a greater chance of success and have them approved for use in the medical device industry. 

While Bioprinting has evidently presented itself with various advantages, many socioethical issues also come into consideration. Due to it being a form of technology, there is a risk of piracy as files are easily capable of being copied similar to torrent websites for music or movies. Another disadvantage to bioprinting is if there will be equal access to treatment, because it is moreso an individual based treatment. On the grounds that the prevaling condition of healthcare worldwide, has been an unjust system for those struggling economically. Personalized medicine would create a larger barrier between the rich and the poor, thus not allowing for those with financial issues the ability to receive a 3D printed organ. Safety also is a concern because any new treatment inovlving 3D printing is risky and can come along with various health implications, quite possibly more risks than a regular transplant. The cells must 100% match genetically in order to correctly match the structure otherwise the patients body would reject the organ. The recipient of a flawed bioprintted organ would have an autoimmune response which could result in the donated tissue to distroy itself. The main ethical issue that arose with bioprinting is the use of it for human enhancement. It could be misused to manufacture enhanced body parts (bones,organs etc.) causing an individual to be stronger and more flexible. Bioprinting holds the capability to increase muscle performance, therefore making muscles much more pliable minimizing any fatigue or stress that can occur. All in all, although bioprinting has an abundant amount of advantages, there are cons that need to be considered hence the hesitation of openly approving 3D printing to be used in healthcare. 

Bioprinting is the future of medicine that can drastically alter the way organ transplants are done. It has the potential to save thousands of lives globally and be used to further advance other areas in the healthcare sector. This includes using printed organs for testing for drugs and any new treatments that have a large risk towards a live patient. As the biotech industry advances, the research implemented into bioprinting the past few years has increased and scientists are aiming to have it used in healthcare soon.  

 

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Works Cited 

 

Janeway CA Jr, Travers P, Walport M, et al. Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease. 5th edition. New York: Garland Science; 2001. Chapter 13, Autoimmunity and Transplantation. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10750/

 

Kent, Chloe. “The Future of Bioprinting: A New Frontier in Regenerative Healthcare.” Medicl Device Network@2x, 29 Oct. 2020, www.medicaldevice-network.com/features/future-of-3d-bioprinting/.

 

Larson, Eric R. “Understanding Thermoplastics.” Thermoplastic Material Selection, William Andrew Publishing, 15 May 2015, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780323312998000039.

 

“Organ Transplant Trends: More Transplants than Ever.” UNOS, 16 Oct. 2020, unos.org/data/transplant-trends/.

 

Singapore University of Technology and Design. “Print me an organ: Why are we not there yet?.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 11 December 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191211082709.htm>

 

Zhu, L.-M., and D.G. Yu. “Drug Delivery Systems Using Biotextiles.” Biotextiles as Medical Implants, Woodhead Publishing, 27 Mar. 2014, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781845694395500090