British scientists have 3D printed the first human corneas, yielding a potential fix to the worldwide shortage of corneas for implantation.
The Newcastle University researchers created a bio-ink using stem cells from a healthy donor cornea mixed with alginate and collagen. They used a simple, low-cost 3D bio-printer to extrude the bio-ink in concentric circles to form the shape of a human cornea. It took less than 10 minutes to print. The proof-of-concept research was published in May in Experimental Eye Research.
“Many teams across the world have been chasing the ideal bio-ink to make this process feasible,” said lead researcher Che Connon, a professor of tissue engineering in a prepared statement. “Our unique gel – a combination of alginate and collagen – keeps the stem cells alive whilst producing a material which is stiff enough to hold its shape but soft enough to be squeezed out the nozzle of a 3D printer.”