3-D Printed Implantable Device for Spinal Cord Injury
October 2, 2018 | Terry Sharrer
The video with this piece shows how University of Minnesota researchers were able to 3-D print layers of neuronal stem cells on a silicone scaffold to make an implantable device that reconnects severed nerves. They showed that 75% percent of the stem cells survived the printing process, though the implant has not yet been tested in people. A question that awaits an answer in almost every kind of regenerative procedure is how long do the stem cells live once in place? It is conceivable that induced pluripotent stem cells have a different lifespan than naturally occurring ones. MORE
Image Credit: University of Minnesota