A new technology, called 3D printed ovaries, was discovered by scientists at Northwestern University in the U.S. to help infertile women make a baby. 3D printed ovaries had been tested to restore the fertility in females, giving them the ability to conceive.
How It Works
According to Daily Mail, 3D printed ovaries can replace the damaged ovary of a woman. With the help of 3D printers, the researchers can print out a digital image of what they are eyeing to recreate to make a 3D version of the organ.
However, the elements and components of the digital image vary from what was needed to be produced. For 3D printed ovaries, the scientists use a gelatin-like substance.
3D Printed Ovaries
The jelly stuff is safe to use as it is made of protein obtained from keratin found naturally in human's bodies. The scientist will print out a "spherical scaffold" from the said materials, which will be injected with oestrogen and oocytes, both from an individual's cells that will later develop into eggs.
3D printed ovaries can be used by women who received cancer treatments and experienced early problems of menopause. 3D printed ovaries can also help infertile women who were naturally born with ovarian deficiencies.
Testing the Ovaries
Before the scientists presented their research at the Endocrine Society conference, they embedded the 3D printed ovaries to mice and succeed in delivering vigorous little rats. 3D printed ovaries can help to normalize the hormonal cycles meaning, they can also nurse their babies, too.
ITV News reported, Dr. Monica Laronda, the leader of the research, revealed that fertility is one of the biggest problems of women who have cancer. "We are developing new ways to restore their quality of life by engineering ovary bioprosthesis implants," she said.
"We developed this implant with downstream human applications in mind," Laronda added. "It is made through a scalable 3D printing method, using a material already used in humans."
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