The technology for creating artificial organs in recent years have made headway, and it gives hope that in the future it will be possible to replace the person of any authority. For example, we recently wrote about creating an artificial uterus. And now experts from Chicago has managed to grow and successfully transplanting rodent artificial ovaries.
Ovaries were printed on special structures using 3D bio-printer. Subsequently the design was settled cell culture. The experiment was carried out on the basis of the Feinberg school of medicine, and the study was managed by Dr. Teresa Woodruff. The biggest challenge in the manufacture of artificial ovary was to create a layered porous structure, which holds the immature follicles and their surrounding hormone-producing cells. In the course of the research, the team of experts found out that the frame of follicles ensures the health and survival of germ cells. Further, it was printed several mesh layers and on their basis formed frame for an artificial ovary thickness of 2 mm.
Inside the frame was placed between 40 and 50 immature follicles of the mouse. These artificial ovaries were implanted in the body of seven mice. All the rodents were able to produce healthy offspring.
“We need to do more work, but a demonstration that we have created 3D-your ovaries are functioning is a major breakthrough. It is very important that we showed that it is feasible. It is possible that in case of successful completion of a series of experiments in a similar way, you can restore reproductive function in patients who have undergone removal of ovaries due to illness or after chemotherapy.”
Cultured ovaries were successfully implanted sterilized mice
Vladimir Kuznetsov