Development of a microscopic bioprinter that can heal stomach ulcers

When activated by a near-infrared laser, the device, called the Magnetic Endothelial Deposition System (MEDS), sprays ink at the ulcer site under the control of a magnet mounted on a robotic arm.

In the future, gastrointestinal injuries such as ulcers or bleeding could be treated with a pill-sized bioprinter that could be guided to the site of the injury to print tissue to help heal, say scientists at the Swiss École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The experimental device, called the Magnetic Endothelial Deposition System (MEDS), is designed like a ballpoint pen with a spring-loaded tip that sprays bioink. Inside is an ink reservoir and a spring-loaded propulsion mechanism.

When activated by a near-infrared laser, the device injects ink at the ulcer site under the control of a magnet mounted on a robotic arm. Once completed, the device can be retrieved through the mouth using magnetic force.

In tests on rabbits, the team successfully injected bioinks into the digestive tract.

“Under laboratory conditions, our cell-containing bioink maintained structural integrity for more than 16 days,” said lead researcher Sanjay Manoharan.

The team hopes to extend testing of this method to damaged blood vessels and abdominal wall tissues.

According to scientists, in addition to protecting ulcers from gastric juice, bio-inks can also be combined with drugs or cells to promote faster tissue regeneration./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/phat-trien-may-in-sinh-hoc-sieu-nho-co-the-chua-lanh-loet-da-day-post1071031.vnp