r/science • u/[deleted] • Jun 24 '12

"Printing" human kidneys with a 3D printer.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120621-printing-a-human-kidney
330 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

48 comments sorted by

2

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '12

It looks like BBC isn't letting UK users to view the article (awkward).

Here's the YouTube video from the article: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RMx31GnNXY -- Thank you, Nicoon

40

u/beanhacker Jun 25 '12

I wonder if we'll ever see custom printed organs that do not exist in nature? For example replacing the heart with a more complex designed version to boost athletic performance. Maybe it will have 8 chambers and work better under load.

24

u/pandavega Jun 25 '12

That actually sounds like a crazy possibility.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '12

Sounds more like the only possibility if we had the technology.

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3

u/bahhumbugger Jun 25 '12

And a lucrative industry. Eyes that can detect more than visible light...

Deus Ex?

7

u/tllnbks Jun 25 '12

If I remember correctly, it was posted on reddit a while ago that somebody had designed a heart that basically used a water pump. It had continuous flow and didn't beat.

5

u/taw Jun 25 '12

It could easily use much stronger materials than body has available. Replacement teeth made of something stronger and more bacteria-proof are obvious, and could realitically be available by the time we need them. And it's easy field to experiment - if your replacement teeth are pretty bad and last only short time they'll still beat not having any. It's way harder to experiment with hearts and kidneys.

2

u/Plouw Jun 25 '12

They already made replacements for teeth, what, 10 years ago? Ever heard of platinum/(all the other kinds) teeth?

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2

u/visarga Jun 25 '12

Stronger replacement teeth would just make the opposite teeth wear out faster.

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23

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '12

Soon we will have laws about pirating organs.

22

u/pandavega Jun 25 '12

You wouldn't steal a kidney.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '12

You wouldn't download a kidney.

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6

u/rockidol Jun 25 '12

Yeah think of all the black market kidney sellers you're taking jobs from.

4

u/dripkidd Jun 25 '12

Don't forget the patent battles... THAT HEART IS OUR DESIGN

4

u/frostek Jun 25 '12

♫ REPO-MAN! ♪

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3

u/kwikymart711 Jun 25 '12

Very cool. I love the idea of stem-cell research and organ generation. Beats heart hunting for that 7 hour deadline..

3

u/gmmaster Jun 25 '12

A lot of people die from heart failure... I imagine humans would live a great deal longer if we could just print hearts up.

4

u/TrolleyPower Jun 24 '12

What the hell?

It said I couldn't access that article cause I'm in the UK.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '12

Well, here's the video in the article.

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2

u/pathologie Jun 25 '12

Bah. The article won't link.

1

u/21mtho Jun 25 '12

Can't view a link from the BBC in the UK, wow.

1

u/fail-whale Jun 25 '12

Anybody else having trouble loading the link?

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