| Newcastle University in the United Kingdom uses the first human eye cornea with 3D technology, which means that this technology can ensure an unlimited supply of cornea in the future. The cornea is an essential component of the eye and determines whether people can see everything in the world. Beautiful. Conservatively estimated that 10 million people worldwide need to have corneal surgery to prevent vision loss caused by trachoma. About 5 million people are completely blinded by burns or eye diseases. They all need to see the cornea through the transplanted cornea. However, there are serious shortages of corneas that can actually be transplanted, and it is simply impossible to meet such a huge demand. Fortunately, scientific progress has given us unlimited hopes. One was published in the “Experimental Eye Research”. Research results show that stem cells (human corneal stromal cells) from healthy donor corneas are mixed with seaweed hydrochloric acid and collagen to form a printable 'bio-ink' solution. Then, with a simple-to-operate 3D bioprinter, the bio-ink can be squeezed directly into the shape of the human cornea. The entire process can take less than ten minutes. The study also stated that they can scan the patient’s eyes to create a cornea that meets the characteristics of different patients. In addition, the scientists allowed the cells to survive in similar hydrogels for several weeks at room temperature, and then used the stem cells ready for use. Bio-ink prints corneal tissue without worrying about cell growth. Professor Connon said that at present, The 3D-printed cornea is preparing for safety testing. As for the real human corneal transplant, it may take several years to test it. However, the study does show that it is feasible to use the patient's eye digital model for corneal printing, and this bioprinting technology is likely to solve the problem of the future shortage of cornea in the world.  Source: Drive home |
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