Organs Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Thin, Stretchable Biosensors Could Make Surgery Safer

AHA Publisher — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 07:00:20 +0000

Los Alamos National Laboratory via Newswise – A research team from Los Alamos National Laboratory and Purdue University have developed bio-inks for biosensors that could help localize critical regions in tissues and organs during surgical operations. “The ink used in the biosensors is biocompatible and provides a user-friendly design with excellent workable time frames of more than one day,” said Kwan-Soo Lee, of Los Alamos’ Chemical Diagnostics and Engineering group. The new biosensors allow for simultaneous recording and imaging of tissues and organs during surgical procedures. “Simultaneous recording and imaging could be useful during heart surgery in localizing critical regions and guiding surgical interventions such as a procedure for restoring normal heart rhythms,” said Chi Hwan Lee, the Leslie A. Geddes Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Materials Engineering at Purdue University. Los Alamos was responsible for formulating and synthesizing the bio-inks, with the goal of creating create an ultra-soft, thin and stretchable material for biosensors that is capable of seamlessly interfacing with the surface of organs. They did this using 3D-printing techniques. “Silicone materials are liquid and flow like honey, which is why it is very challenging to 3D-print without sagging and flowing issues during printing,” Kwan-Soo Lee said. “It is very exciting to have found a way to create printed inks that do not have any shape deformation during the curing process.” The bio-inks are softer than tissue, stretch without experiencing sensor degradation, and have reliable natural adhesion to the wet surface of organs without needing additional adhesives. Craig Goergen, the Leslie A. Geddes Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University, aided with the in vivo assessment of the patch via testing in both mice and pigs. The results showed the biosensor was able to reliably measure electrical signal while not impairing cardiac function. The research was published today in Nature Communications. It was funded by Science Campaign 2. To read the original article click here.

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Rapid 3D Printing Method Moves Toward 3D-Printed Organs

AHA Publisher — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:00:07 +0000

University at Buffalo via EurekAlert – BUFFALO, N.Y. — It looks like science fiction: A machine dips into a shallow vat of translucent yellow goo and pulls out what becomes a life-sized hand. But the seven-second video, which is sped-up from 19 minutes, is real. The hand, which would take six hours to create using conventional 3D printing methods, demonstrates what University at Buffalo engineers say is progress toward 3D-printed human tissue and organs — biotechnology that could eventually save countless lives lost due to the shortage of donor organs. “The technology we’ve developed is 10-50 times faster than the industry standard, and it works with large sample sizes that have been very difficult to achieve previously,” says the study’s co-lead author Ruogang Zhao, PhD, associate professor of biomedical engineering. The work is described in a study published Feb. 15 in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials. It centers on a 3D printing method called stereolithography and jelly-like materials known as hydrogels, which are used to create, among things, diapers, contact lenses and scaffolds in tissue engineering. The latter application is particularly useful in 3D printing, and it’s something the research team spent a major part of its effort optimizing to achieve its incredibly fast and accurate 3D printing technique. “Our method allows for the rapid printing of centimeter-sized hydrogel models. It signi?cantly reduces part deformation and cellular injuries caused by the prolonged exposure to the environmental stresses you commonly see in conventional 3D printing methods,” says the study’s other co-lead author, Chi Zhou, PhD, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering. Researchers say the method is particularly suitable for printing cells with embedded blood vessel networks, a nascent technology expected to be a central part of the production of 3D-printed human tissue and organs. To read the original article click here.

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New Discovery Allows 3D Printing of Sensors Directly on Expanding Organs

AHA Publisher — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 07:00:29 +0000

University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering via Newswise – In groundbreaking new research, mechanical engineers and computer scientists at the University of Minnesota have developed a 3D printing technique that uses motion capture technology, similar to that used in Hollywood movies, to print electronic sensors directly on organs that are expanding and contracting. The new 3D printing technique could have future applications in diagnosing and monitoring the lungs of patients with COVID-19. The research is published in Science Advances, a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The new research is the next generation of a 3D printing technique discovered two years ago by members of the team that allowed for printing of electronics directly on the skin of a hand that moved left to right or rotated. The new technique allows for even more sophisticated tracking to 3D print sensors on organs like the lungs or heart that change shape or distort due to expanding and contracting. “We are pushing the boundaries of 3D printing in new ways we never even imagined years ago,” said Michael McAlpine, a University of Minnesota mechanical engineering professor and senior researcher on the study. “3D printing on a moving object is difficult enough, but it was quite a challenge to find a way to print on a surface that was deforming as it expanded and contracted.” The researchers started in the lab with a balloon-like surface and a specialized 3D printer. They used motion capture tracking markers, much like those used in movies to create special effects, to help the 3D printer adapt its printing path to the expansion and contraction movements on the surface. The researchers then moved on to an animal lung in the lab that was artificially inflated. They were able to successfully print a soft hydrogel-based sensor directly on the surface. McAlpine said the technique could also possibly be used in the future to 3D print sensors on a pumping heart. “The broader idea behind this research, is that this is a big step forward to the goal of combining 3D printing technology with surgical robots,” said McAlpine, who holds the Kuhrmeyer Family Chair Professorship in the University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering. “In the future, 3D printing will not be just about printing but instead be part of a larger autonomous robotic system. This could be important for diseases like COVID-19 where health care providers are at risk when treating patients.” Other members of the research team included lead author Zhijie Zhu, a University of Minnesota mechanical engineering Ph.D. candidate, and Hyun Soo Park, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The research was supported by Medtronic (for sensor development) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number DP2EB020537. Additional support was provided by a University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship awarded to Zhijie Zhu. To read the original article click here.

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Doctors Bring Dead Donor Heart Back to Life in US First

AHA Publisher — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 08:00:28 +0000

Sally Robertson, B.Sc. via News Medical-Net – A heart transplant team at Duke University, North Carolina, has become the first in the US to reanimate the heart of a deceased donor and transplant it into a recipient. The process, known of as Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD), involves the use of an artificial circulatory mechanism that pumps warm, oxygenated blood through the heart while it is outside of the body. Once the organ is revived, it can be transplanted into a patient who is in need of a healthy heart. In this case, the recipient was a military veteran who received the donated organ through the Mission act. The DCD transplant, which was performed on Sunday 1st December, was reportedly a success, and the patient is recovering well. A Crucial Step in Reducing the Donor Organ Shortage Experts are calling this a major and crucial step towards addressing the current shortage of donor organs. Duke is one of five medical centers in the US that have been approved to carry out DCD heart transplantation as part of a new clinical trial to test the artificial circulatory device. The cutting-edge practice uses a technique called warm perfusion to circulate blood, oxygen, and electrolytes through the disembodied heart, prompting it to beat again. Previously, a heart would be harvested from a living donor who had been declared medically brain-dead. However, the heart tissue generally starts to deteriorate before a person has been declared dead due to the low levels of oxygen generated by the slowing heart. By the time a patient is confirmed dead, the heart is already too damaged to use for transplantation. The DCD Procedure Was First Used in 2015 The DCD method was first used in a 2015 clinical trial conducted at the Royal Papworth Hospital in the UK. According to doctor Jacob Niall Schroder, who performed the procedure at Duke University, a further 75 DCD transplants have been performed at the Royal Papworth since the trial four years ago. “If Royal Papworth’s experience has shown us anything, this will decrease waitlist time, deaths on the waitlist, with excellent survival results. This is the first time in the US, which is a huge deal because transplant need and volume is so high.” (Jacob Niall Schroder, Surgical director of Duke’s Heart Transplant Program in the Department of Surgery) “This is the donor pool actively expanding” Schroder says, “this is the donor pool actively expanding” and that DCD has the potential to broaden the donor pool by as much as 30%. “Increasing the number of donated hearts would decrease the wait time and the number of deaths that occur while people are waiting. It’s important to conduct this clinical trial to determine whether those outcomes are realized,” he adds. “We are grateful for the courage and generosity of both the donors and recipients.” To read the original article click here.

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A Swifter Way Towards 3D-Printed Organs

The AHA! Team — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 07:00:00 +0000

“Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard via EurekAlert – The ability to support living human tissues with vascular channels is a huge step toward the goal of creating functional human organs outside of the body…” 20 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant in the United States, and while more than 30,000 transplants are now performed annually, there are over 113,000 patients currently on organ waitlists. Artificially grown human organs are seen by many as the “holy grail” for resolving this organ shortage, and advances in 3D printing have led to a boom in using that technique to build living tissue constructs in the shape of human organs. However, all 3D-printed human tissues to date lack the cellular density and organ-level functions required for them to be used in organ repair and replacement. A new technique Now, a new technique called SWIFT (sacrificial writing into functional tissue) created by researchers from Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), overcomes that major hurdle by 3D printing vascular channels into living matrices composed of stem-cell-derived organ building blocks (OBBs), yielding viable, organ-specific tissues with high cell density and function. The research is reported in Science Advances. New paradigm for tissue fabrication “This is an entirely new paradigm for tissue fabrication,” said co-first author Mark Skylar-Scott, Ph.D., a Research Associate at the Wyss Institute. “Rather than trying to 3D-print an entire organ’s worth of cells, SWIFT focuses on only printing the vessels necessary to support a living tissue construct that contains large quantities of OBBs, which may ultimately be used therapeutically to repair and replace human organs with lab-grown versions containing patients’ own cells.” SWIFT involves a two-step process that begins with forming hundreds of thousands of stem-cell-derived aggregates into a dense, living matrix of OBBs that contains about 200 million cells per milliliter. Two birds with one stone Next, a vascular network through which oxygen and other nutrients can be delivered to the cells is embedded within the matrix by writing and removing a sacrificial ink. “Forming a dense matrix from these OBBs kills two birds with one stone: not only does it achieve a high cellular density akin to that of human organs, but the matrix’s viscosity also enables printing of a pervasive network of perfusable channels within it to mimic the blood vessels that support human organs,” Sébastien Uzel, PhD., a Research Associate at the Wyss Institute and SEAS. Cellular aggregates The cellular aggregates used in the SWIFT method are derived from adult induced pluripotent stem cells, which are mixed with a tailored extracellular matrix (ECM) solution to make a living matrix that is compacted via centrifugation. At cold temperatures (0-4 C), the dense matrix has the consistency of mayonnaise – soft enough to manipulate without damaging the cells, but thick enough to hold its shape – making it the perfect medium for sacrificial 3D printing. In this technique, a thin nozzle moves through this matrix depositing a strand of gelatin “ink” that pushes cells out of the way without damaging them. When the cold matrix is heated to 37 C, it stiffens to become more solid (like an omelet being cooked) while the gelatin ink melts and can be washed out, leaving behind a network of channels embedded within the tissue construct that can be perfused with oxygenated media to nourish the cells. The researchers were able to vary the diameter of the channels from 400 micrometers to 1 millimeter, and seamlessly connected them to form branching vascular networks within the tissues. Cell Death within 12 hours Organ-specific tissues that were printed with embedded vascular channels using SWIFT and perfused in this manner remained viable, while tissues grown without these channels experienced cell death in their cores within 12 hours. To see whether the tissues displayed organ-specific functions, the team printed, evacuated, and perfused a branching channel architecture into a matrix consisting of heart-derived cells and flowed media through the channels for over a week. During that time, the cardiac OBBs fused together to form a more solid cardiac tissue whose contractions became more synchronous and over 20 times stronger, mimicking key features of a human heart. SWIFT biomanufacturing method “Our SWIFT biomanufacturing method is highly effective at creating organ-specific tissues at scale from OBBs ranging from aggregates of primary cells to stem-cell-derived organoids,” said corresponding author Jennifer Lewis, Sc.D., who is a Core Faculty Member at the Wyss Institute as well as the Hansjörg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at SEAS. “By integrating recent advances from stem-cell researchers with the bioprinting methods developed by my lab, we believe SWIFT will greatly advance the field of organ engineering around the world.” Collaborations are underway with Wyss Institute faculty members Chris Chen, M.D., Ph.D. at Boston University and Sangeeta Bhatia, M.D., Ph.D., at MIT to implant these tissues into animal models and explore their host integration, as part of the 3D Organ Engineering Initiative co-led by Lewis and Chris Chen. The goal “The ability to support living human tissues with vascular channels is a huge step toward the goal of creating functional human organs outside of the body,” said Wyss Institute Founding Director Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., who is also the Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at HMS, the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Professor of Bioengineering at SEAS. “We continue to be impressed by the achievements in Jennifer’s lab including this research, which ultimately has the potential to dramatically improve both organ engineering and the lifespans of patients whose own organs are failing.” To read the original article click here.

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Bioprinting Complex Living Tissue in Just a Few Seconds

The AHA! Team — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Ecole Polytechnique FaDaRale De Lausanne via EurekAlert – “The characteristics of human tissue depend to a large extent on a highly sophisticated extracellular structure, and the ability to replicate this complexity could lead to a number of real clinical applications…” Tissue engineers create artificial organs and tissues that can be used to develop and test new drugs, repair damaged tissue and even replace entire organs in the human body. However, current fabrication methods limit their ability to produce free-form shapes and achieve high cell viability. Researchers at the Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices (LAPD), in EPFL’s School of Engineering, working with colleagues from Utrecht University, have come up with an optical technique that takes just a few seconds to sculpt complex tissue shapes in a biocompatible hydrogel containing stem cells. The resulting tissue can then be vascularized by adding endothelial cells. The team describes this high-resolution printing method in an article appearing in Advanced Materials. The technique will change the way cellular engineering specialists work, allowing them to create a new breed of personalized, functional bioprinted organs. Printing a Femur or a Meniscus The technique is called volumetric bioprinting. To create tissue, the researchers project a laser down a spinning tube filled with a stem-cell-laden hydrogel. They shape the tissue by focusing the energy from the light at specific locations, which then solidify. After just a few seconds, a complex 3D shape appears, suspended in the gel. The stem cells in the hydrogel are largely unaffected by this process. The researchers then introduce endothelial cells to vascularize the tissue. The researchers have shown that it’s possible to create a tissue construct measuring several centimeters, which is a clinically useful size. Examples of their work include a valve similar to a heart valve, a meniscus and a complex-shaped part of the femur. They were also able to build interlocking structures. “Unlike conventional bioprinting – a slow, layer-by-layer process – our technique is fast and offers greater design freedom without jeopardizing the cells’ viability,” says Damien Loterie, an LAPD researcher and one of the study’s coauthors. Replicating the Human Body The researchers’ work is a real game changer. “The characteristics of human tissue depend to a large extent on a highly sophisticated extracellular structure, and the ability to replicate this complexity could lead to a number of real clinical applications,” says Paul Delrot, another coauthor. Using this technique, labs could mass-produce artificial tissues or organs at unprecedented speed. This sort of replicability is essential when it comes to testing new drugs in vitro, and it could help obviate the need for animal testing – a clear ethical advantage as well as a way of reducing costs. “This is just the beginning. We believe that our method is inherently scalable towards mass fabrication and could be used to produce a wide range of cellular tissue models, not to mention medical devices and personalized implants,” says Christophe Moser, the head of the LAPD. The researchers plan to market their groundbreaking technique through a spin-off. To read the original article click here.

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Newly Discovered Organ Wakes Up Sleeping Stem Cells

The AHA! Team — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – As the researchers started looking deeper into this organ, they noticed that the signals shooting back and forth through the fluid also influenced stem cells.Â Specifically, they noticed these signals would nudge stem cells in a certain direction. You would think that when it comes to the human body, scientists know all there is to know. But they don’t. In fact, researchers recently discovered a whole new organ hiding in plain sight. It’s a series of never-before-seen fluid-filled compartments throughout the body. They named it the interstitium. It’s a huge interconnected network of “sponge-like,” fluid-filled tissues that surrounds your brain, heart, lungs and every joint in your body. But I call it your stem cell organ. Because it contains a vast supply of sleeping stem cells. A healthy interstitium is one of the main reasons your ancestors enjoyed outstanding primal health: Their diet was rich in nutrients that supported this newly discovered organ long before the days of processed food and genetically altered crops. Unlike the current pick of treatments that inject stem cells into your body, there are now ways to use this new organ to call your body’s existing but dormant supply of stem cells into action. As the researchers started looking deeper into this organ, they noticed that the signals shooting back and forth through the fluid also influenced stem cells. Specifically, they noticed these signals would nudge stem cells in a certain direction. Some signals would tell certain stem cells to mature into a muscle cell. Other signals made a stem cell mature into a bone cell. Still other signals would tell stem cells to divide and create more stem cells for the reserves all transported via interstitium fluid. In short, for the first time in human history, science can finally explain the mystery of the stem cell maturation process. Acupuncturists have long known that applying pressure to one part of the body can have a dramatic effect on another. We know that the “signals” that come from acupuncture “pressure points” are most likely carried by the interstitium. The fluid carries antigens and cytokines â€” both critical elements in your body’s immune regulation. It also carries the stem cells it activates in its store. Many of these will grow into powerful immune system defenders, like T-cells and interstitial macrophages, which has been shown to be potent protectors against lung diseases. The research into what a healthy interstitium can provide is mounting. This stem cell organ: • Boosts your brain power • Supercharges your heart • Regulates healthy blood sugar levels • Keeps joint pain-free The discovery of the interstitium and its incredible potential is still fresh, and scientists are still a few years away from directly manipulating stem cells using this new organ. And it will be a much longer time before mainstream medicine catches up. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use this discovery to improve your health today, tomorrow and in years to come. Starting right now, you can kick your stem cell organ into overdrive. Embrace Your Primal Nutrition I’ve been doing my own research into the interstitium, and I’ve discovered numerous nutrients that support the healthy function of this vital organ. These are the top two you need immediately: 1. Get more of the missing nutrient â€” collagen. This tough fibrous protein molecule is found in the bones, muscles, skin and tendons and it’s what your interstitium is made of. So you need to feed it for optimal stem cell organ health. Your body produces collagen by itself. But here’s the problem: By your 40s, you only make a quarter of what you need. And by your 60s, your production is down 50%. The best source of this protein are collagen-rich animal parts, like bones and bone marrow or the sinewy connective tissue. Unfortunately, most people today won’t eat these animal parts. I recommend eating bone broth instead. For a twist, try making a salmon bone broth by including the bones and scales. 2. Activate your “X” factor. Pioneering researcher Dr. Weston Price called vitamin K2 “Activator X.” He wasn’t sure how it worked. He just knew it was vital for good health. Today we know vitamin K2 boosts the production of stem cells in your body, especially in your bone marrow. Your bone marrow produces red blood cells, platelets, and immune cells that allow your body to stave off infections and diseases. Research has found that vitamin K2 protects your heart, skeleton and teeth. Other studies show K2 fights inflammation – the root of all disease – by controlling the production of certain immune system stem cells. Recent research show it can suppress stem cells that grow into cancer cells. Good food sources include goose liver, natto, grass-fed beef, bone marrow and full-fat milk butter and cheese. But supplementing may still be necessary. Look for vitamin K2 in the form of menaquinone-7. I recommend up to 90 mcg a day to my patients. And, as it’s fat-soluble, take it with a meal to improve absorption. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS To read the original article click here. For more articles by Al Sears, MD click here.

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