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Synthetic Organs
BACKGROUND
Synthetic Organs and Their Importance
The purpose of synthetic organs is to be able to transplant them in for organs that are deficient, when short in human organs available for transplant. Over 115,000 people in the U. S. are currently on the waiting list for an organ transplant. On average, 20 people die because of a scarcity in organs for replacement, every day. Synthetic organs are important to save these lives because it is not guaranteed that those in need will get an organ transplant from another human in time.
Due to advancements in technology over time, synthetic organs can be made in many different ways, using:
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the transplant recipient's stem cells
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3D-bioprinting
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silicone
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bio-ink
Why Were Synthetic Organs Made?
According to Claudia Geib, a science writer from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), there are about 116,000 patients in need of an organ transplant, but so far in 2017, there have only been 10,866 donors. This means that with synthetic organs, donors won't be needed, although they are the best choice for patients. The innovation of bio-ink organs could change the statistic of donors by creating artificial human tissues and organs, developed by engineers and scientists. Bio-ink, a cold-soluble gelatin, is also inexpensive, allowing for a much cheaper option compared to human organ transplants.
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Figure 1: The relationship between the amount of people on the waiting list, transplants, and donors.
Watch this interview for more information on one of the first modern-time innovators of synthetic organs, Willem Kolff, and why he felt the importance for synthetic organs in the lives of his patients, while filling the position of a physician assistant at the University of Groningen. This "was not the first thing, but it was the first really important thing" that Kolff began his research on.
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How Does the Transplant Process Work?
The world's first synthetic organ transplant was of a trachea which was made in England (but implanted in Sweden) by the following steps:
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The 3D synthetic organ is printed to mimic the windpipe. Due to the fact that it is a reagent, the patient will not need immunosuppression.
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The synthetic organ was dipped into liquid polymer, which created an exact copy of the windpipe when it set.
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Stem cells were taken from the patient's bone marrow and placed on the windpipe. The millions of tiny holes in the surface of the trachea were soon occupied by the cells, making the windpipe unique to the recipient. Since the organ was grown from the recipient's own cells, there was no risk of rejection, and potent anti-rejection drugs were not necessary.
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The windpipe was cut to the appropriate size for the patient receiving the transplant.
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The trachea was successfully implanted into the patient. Without this surgery, the patient would have lost his life.
Trachea that have only been put through liquid polymer (left). Trachea that have been ceded with the transplant recipient's stem cells (right).
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