Skin patch in situ
A unique experiment on bioprinting of skin implants was conducted at the P.A. Herzen Cancer Institute
Press Service of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "NMIC of Radiology" of the Ministry of Health of Russia
Scientists of the prognosis Laboratory of the P.A. Herzen Institute of Medical Research, a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "NMIC of Radiology" of the Ministry of Health of Russia, together with 3D Bioprinting Solutions conducted a unique experiment on bioprinting an implant to replace skin defects. The experiment was carried out in situ – that is, "on the spot", during the operation in the laboratory of preclinical research of the P.A. Herzen Moscow State Medical Institute. The study was carried out on rats for several weeks. Bioprinting was performed directly into the skin defect (wound) using a KUKA robot manipulator. During the experiment, a specially developed collagen material from the 3D Bioprinting Solutions laboratory was used as biochernils.
Specially within the framework of this project, the specialists of the P.A. Herzen Institute of Medical Research have developed an original technology for the production of platelet lysate from blood and a gel based on it, enriched with growth factors and hormones for 2-D and 3-D cell culture under non-xenogenic conditions.
– This is an alternative to embryonic calf serum – a xenogenic product that can cause allergic reactions, – said the project manager, Professor N.S. Sergeeva.
– Platelet lysate is used as a component of the printed design to stimulate regeneration. Platelet lysate can be prepared as a personal product from the blood of each patient.
Thus, in the future, patients with non-healing wounds will be presented with a unique method of restoring a lost fragment of skin from their own cells. Collagen enables its regenerating abilities.
In situ technology involves a combination of surgical robotics with three-dimensional bioprinting. The use of special robotic hands allows you to print not only on horizontal surfaces, but also to fill in irregularly shaped tissue defects at the right angle.
Bioprinting in situ minimizes the risks of complications after transplantation. This method seems promising, as it can solve the problems of vascularization (blood supply) of the implant. Native endothelial progenitor cells of the recipient migrate into the printed tissue–engineered structure - cells that participate in the formation of blood vessels, as well as capillaries germinate from the tissue surrounding the defect.
The experiment was the first step towards the application of bioprinting technology in the operating room for further use in humans. In the future, this will make it possible to print three-dimensional tissue-engineered constructs directly at the site of the defect of a particular organ of patients. This will significantly expand the range of applications of bioprinting technology, as it will help to get rid of the stage of growing constructs in specialized bioreactors and incubation systems.
– Of course, oncology will be one of the first areas of medicine where this technology will be in demand. Indeed, the modern level of surgical interventions, a huge arsenal of precision irradiation methods and a range of chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs allows today to achieve the cure of a large number of cancer patients. However, the quality of life after such aggressive treatment is unsatisfactory, due to loss or impairment of organ function. In this aspect, we have high hopes for 3D bioprinting as a technology for creating organ constructs from living elements," said Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, General Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "NMIC of Radiology" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation A.D. Kaprin.
– Bioprinting refers to the breakthrough research of modern bioengineering. In this experiment, we combine the capabilities of robotics, three-dimensional bioprinting and the advantages of our proprietary collagen product for a potential revolution in operating rooms, when surgeons can be assisted by robots that create three-dimensional tissue-engineered organs in real time. In the future, this technology in regenerative medicine will allow printing three–dimensional tissue-engineered structures directly at the site of a defect in a particular organ of patients," said Youssef Hesuani, managing partner of 3D Bioprinting Solutions. – We are pleased with such an effective collaboration of scientists of different specialties and the opportunity to conduct these studies at a highly professional level, which our colleagues from the Herzen Institute and NMIC Radiology in general have.
– Modern medicine should use the advanced achievements of science for the benefit of people. This cannot be done without support, and we are ready to provide it, because right now technologies allow us to implement the best theoretical developments without having to wait for many years. This can be done here in Russia, thanks to the achievements of our scientists. That is why the investment interest of our company is invariably focused on the brightest and breakthrough projects, among which, of course, 3D Bioprinting Solutions," Alexander Ostrovsky, founder and CEO of Invitro Group of Companies, emphasized.
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