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As described by researchers Miguel Castilho, Ines Pires, Barbara Gouveia
and Jorge Rodrigues,
the drawbacks of these techniques include the extensive use of highly
toxic organic solvents, long fabrication periods, labour-intensive
processes, incomplete removal of residual particulates in the polymer
matrix, poor repeatability, irregularly shaped pores, insufficient
interconnectivity of pores and thin structures. In addition, most of
these methods bear restrictions on shape control. 9
In other words, manually created artiicial scaffolding can biodegrade and
scatter cells and particles into disarray. In addition, engineered tissue built
on pre-formed scaffolding seeded with living cells may not it neatly into a
patient's existing living tissue. Since human tissue comes in so many odd and
elaborate shapes, it can be dificult to make a tissue scaffold that's precisely the
right contours. And inally, to top it all off, it's very dificult to seed multiple
cell types into the inside of an existing scaffold.
Printing living cartilage
Cartilage is a shining example of nature's tissue engineering abilities. Inside
the body, cartilage has an amazing ability to hold its shape for years, or when
it's cushioning our joints, to endure years of pounding. Knee joints are cush-
ioned and smoothed out by a protective layer of articular cartilage that prevents
the bones from grinding against one another. Cartilage is what makes our ears
and noses bendable, yet resilient when tweaked.
Like bone, cartilage tissue is simple tissue that is made up of just a few
cell types, contains no veins, and has a relatively simple purpose. Cartilage
doesn't have to digest food, obey instructions from nerve cells or respond
quickly to environmental cues. Yet, fabricating even a relatively simple tissue
such as cartilage is still not something the medical professional has igured
out how to do well.
Cartilage is an essential tissue but unfortunately, today we have no viable
way to make artiicial replacement cartilage. If you've played years of squash
or are a dedicated long-distance runner, you already know that once your
articular cartilage is worn thin, it's just gone. Its absence in between the joints
can be devastating, causing pain and osteoarthritis in millions of people who
suffer from bad knees, elbows, stiff hips, and ingers.
 
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