Russian experts: 3D printing complete human organs has no prospects

In an interview with the media, Yushev Hesuani, managing partner of the Russian 3D Bioprinting Solutions company (3D Bioprinting Solutions), stated that Russian scientists have begun experiments on transplanting bone tissue obtained in space into rats. He said: “The first group has completed the operation and transplanted different materials to them, and the animals have returned to the terrarium.” He explained that the experiment used more than 50 rats and divided them into several groups. First, the surgeon made a hole about 1.5 mm in diameter in the skull of each rat. Scientists chose this bone cavity because it is one of the most difficult defects to heal. Then transplant different materials into the bone cavity: octacalcium phosphate obtained in space or on the earth, or tricalcium phosphate. One group of rats did not undergo any transplantation. Hesuani added: “One of the main purposes of the experiment is to compare materials from space and earth to understand how we can use them in regenerative medicine.” According to reports, scientists will be one month or three after surgery. At 6 months and 6 months, the bone tissue recovery of the rats was checked. Hesuani said that it is important for the experimenters to confirm that the bone tissue has not only recovered, but that it has not grown more than needed, that is, no so-called callus has formed. The report also stated that the experiment should have started in April 2020, when the materials printed on the International Space Station using a 3D bioprinter had just arrived on Earth. However, the new crown epidemic has interfered with scientists’ plans because it is not easy to organize a large number of operations and continue to observe so many animals.

But at the same time, Yushev Hesuani believes that in the future of medicine, it is unlikely that complete human organs need to be printed, and usually only a certain part of the organ needs to be replaced. He said: “In most cases, the damage is not the entire organ, but a part of it, but the function of the organ is lost. In this case, it is not the entire organ that needs to be printed, but the so-called tissue engineering. Patches.”

He also explained that the development of organ printing technology depends to a large extent on advances in regenerative medicine and cell biology. Printing organs and their parts will rely heavily on the possibility of obtaining the required number of cells. The same is true, the company will not consider printing the entire person.
He added: “We have never considered printing humans. This is left to futurists, sci-fi film and television screenwriters, and certain scientists
who think it must be done.” He believes that 3D bioprinting technology for cloning is also unlikely.
Hesuani pointed out: “In that case, what is needed is not printing, but more likely gene editing methods, known cloning methods.