Burn Victims to get New Skin with the same technology that is found in Ink-jet Printer

Most of the people today, have never thought of that there is something common between the humble ink-jet printer and the device used in the medical field. However, researchers from North Carolina-based Wake Forest University were a game to try something new with the Ink-jet Printer technology. In the process, they came up with a technique for regenerating burnt skin by spraying new cells and proteins on skin burns for enabling the skin to heal faster. Obviously the spraying is done with the same technology that is used in an ink-jet printer.

Bio Printing Technology uses laserjet

The device developed by them consists of a laser unit that assesses the exact size and shape of the burn area. The next step is spraying of proteins and new cells in that specific area. In view of the difficulty in moving burn victims, the combined unit is affixed on a frame which can be moved or wheeled across the bed in the hospital, thereby doing away with the need to move the burn patient a lot. Considerable precision in implanting the specific type of cells can be achieved with this system. Not only the precise variety of cells is lodged in the specific area, even spraying of precise quantities of such cells can be monitored with this technology. This technology of spraying cells is, for now, referred to as bioprinting.

Just to name a few members of the team- Kyle Binder is one of the students who helped to design this bioprinting device. George Christ is the professor at the school for regenerative medicine.

So far the technology has been tested on mice. There are various types of skin cells, such as keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. It is necessary to ensure that precise type of cell is sprayed in position. Researchers extracted these cells and multiplied them under laboratory conditions. Thereafter, these cells were sprayed in layers, i. e., first the fibroblasts layer, followed by keratinocytes layer. Some stem cells were also used. Because of the stem cells, the eventual results were such that it was hard to distinguish where the burns were since the tissue easily blended with other parts of the skin in the surroundings including sebaceous glands and follicles.

HP 3D Printers launched in June 2014

The technique would replace conventional skin grafting, which is not only time consuming and painful, but also takes much longer for recovery.  Mice that were subjected to treatment in this fashion took two to three weeks to recover merely, whereas others that were treated conventionally took five weeks to recover. 

Researchers intend to approach the US FDA for trying the technology on human beings. The technology may also be effective in closing another type of wounds. To this end, research is being conducted by the team along with U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine for treating the wounds of soldiers. 

People with massive burns are likely to die in a fortnight if their wound is left open for too long because of infections. Usually, skin grafting needs to be done promptly and it can be painful. Not only will this printing of skin ensure prompt recovery, it would also ensure that there are little marks of wound or burn remaining on the skin at the end of the treatment.

Posted by Jason Williams - ALTTRIX Digital