3D打印補丁有望修復心臟病患者的心臟

A team of biomedical engineering researchers led by the University of Minnesota have developed a new 3D-bioprinted patch that shows potential in helping heal scarred heart tissue after a heart attack.

由明尼蘇達大學領導的生物醫學工程研究團隊研發出一種新型3D生物打印補丁，可能有助於治癒在心臟病發作後受損的心臟組織。

Recent advances allowed researchers to use laser-based 3D-bioprinting techniques to incorporate stem cells derived from adult human heart cells on a matrix that began to grow and beat synchronously in a dish in the lab.

近來的科技進步使研究人員可以利用基於激光的3D生物打印技術將來自成人心臟細胞的幹細胞摻入到基質中，之後基質開始在實驗室培養皿中同步生長和跳動。

The muscle-like patch was then placed on a mouse heart following a simulated heart attack.

然後把這個像肌肉一樣的補丁放置在模擬心臟病發作後的小鼠心臟上。

Just four weeks later, researchers saw a significant increase in cardiac functional capacity.

僅4周後，研究人員就發現其心功能容量顯著增加。

Since the patch was made from cells and structural proteins native to the heart, it became part of the heart and absorbed into the body, requiring no further surgeries.

由於補丁是心臟細胞和結構蛋白質製成的，它成了心臟的一部分並被吸收到身體中，無需再做手術。

Next, researchers will test a larger patch on a pig, which is similar in size of a human heart. Researchers hope within a decade, the patch could reach clinical trials and be used in patients.

接下來，研究人員將會在一隻豬的身上（其心臟與人類心臟尺寸相似）測試一個更大的補丁。他們希望這種補丁能在10年內進行臨牀試驗並用在患者身上。