New Innovations for an Organ Printer

Berkowitz, Bonnie.  (2011, May 9).  3-D Printers May Someday Allow Labs to Create Replacement Organs.  The Washington Post.  Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/science/3-d-printers-may-someday-allow-labs-to-create-replacment-human-organs/2011/04/21/AFJM0WbG_story.html

Scientists have found a revolutionary method of helping patients.  They have created what they call “3-D printers.”  These printers use the patients’ living cells to “print” (called bioprinting) new organs including kidney, liver, or even a heart.  They can also make cartilage, muscle, and vertebral disks.  This method has been long used by dentists, jewelers, and chocolatiers to make pieces without having to mold them.  Scientists saw this and took the opportunity to use it in their research in the 2000s.  If this becomes a success, organ donor lists could be thrown out the window.  It’s true that it’s much easier to bioprint vertebrate or knee muscle.  The biggest challenge is getting the organ back in the body and properly nourishing it.  But if you, instead of just growing an organ, and grow one main vein with the organ and put it in a stable place, it will grow on its own.  After then, they can put it back in the body with more ease.  The only large problem with this project is funding.  Keith Murphy, co-founder of Organovo, says, “If the federal government created a ‘human organ project’ and wanted to make the kidney, I literally think it could happen in 10 years.”  Although many believe that bioprinting is the holy grail of genetic engineering, some people don’t understand why they’re doing it.

I believe that this is a huge leap in the medical world.  We don’t have to make other people suffer to get organs for patients; we can just print them out.  I think we should seriously take a look at this alternative despite its economic costs.  It will be invaluable to the people it helps.  This article has taught me that this new medical innovation is no exception to the golden rule of medical inventions- that they may be great, cool, and shiny, but we may not be able to afford them even though people are always sick and always need help.  Funding problems shouldn’t be in this area, there should always be enough for new improvements in the health world.  But of course, with every new great thing, comes a con.  We just haven’t figured out what the con is for this.  I suppose it might come along when they begin human testing in five to ten years.  Maybe these bioprinted organs will create new genetic mutations.  Or maybe they are not completely functional in a human body.  However, we will never know until we find out and there are always willing people to be involved in these medical things.

Some will ask “What’s next?!” and some would think it best just left alone.  What’s next is further research on it in mice before humans.  Another step is gaining publicity.  If the majority of America knew about this, they would be all in for it; especially if they needed a new organ themselves.  As it gains notice it will gain funding also.  Eventually, scientists will be able to afford to test it within a human control group.  And maybe, one day, we will be using something similar to this in everyday medical life.