3D printed heart with human tissue and vessels is a world first
- Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel say their ‘major medical breakthrough’ will advance possibilities for transplants
- The 3D heart, which is about the size of a cherry, has cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers
Scientists in Israel have unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human tissue and vessels, calling it a first and a “major medical breakthrough” that advances possibilities for transplants.
It remains a long way off, but scientists hope one day to be able to produce hearts suitable for transplant into humans as well as patches to regenerate defective hearts. The heart that researchers at Tel Aviv University produced is about the size of a rabbit’s.
It marked “the first time anyone, anywhere, has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,” said Tal Dvir, who led the project.
“People have managed to 3D-print the structure of a heart in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels,” he said.
But many challenges remain before fully working 3D printed hearts will be available for transplant into patients, the scientists said.