3D printed lung air sac

Using technology named “Stereolithographic Apparatus for Tissue Engineering” a Rice University lab has 3D-printed a life-like model of lung tissues.  The process involved putting down layers of hydrogel that were stiffened with blue light to a resolution of 10 to 50 microns.  The resulting model has the complex vasculature for blood, air, and lymph.  This model has not been transplanted into living animals, but the same lab did print and plant a liver in mice.   MORE

Image Credit:  Rice University