Engineers are researching the use of standardized and cheap LEGO bricks to create
Engineers used standard Lego bricks, a line of parts and hardware and software components for Lego Mindstorms robotics developments, and a regular laboratory pump to assemble the device.The nozzle throws a gel-like substance full of living cells onto a special cup.
Lego Mindstorms mini computer moves this cupback, forth and side to side by mechanically moving the nozzle up and down as it extrudes the gel. These programmed movements create layers of cells, reproducing the three-dimensional structure of human tissues.
3D bioprinting with LEGO. Video: Cardiff University
A prototype created by scientists costs only 500pounds sterling (about 50 thousand rubles). The existing version, although it differs in a “primitive” device, achieves the required level of accuracy, the authors of the development note. Now they have created a prototype that prints an artificial model of human skin, but by controlling the nozzles, you can create models of various tissues and organs.
Bioprinting technology allows the creation of complexthree-dimensional structures, which are better than "flat" models in a Petri dish, convey the complex structure of tissues and are suitable for experiments and research. Traditional devices for 3D bioprinting are too expensive: a new approach will make the technology more accessible in the future.
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