Scientists in London have developed a new way to print biological structures smaller than the ink jet needles they use in the printer.
The problem was that the smallest ink jet needles are currently 500 microns – larger than what is needed to lay down cells with the kind of precision necessary to make the smallest biological structures with fine features. But by using a new technique they are calling “electrohydrodynamic jetting” they can do much better. They send living cells at a controlled flow rate into the ink jet needle, but then add an electric charge.
The advantage of this method compared to conventional ink-jet technology is that it can create droplets as small as just a few microns across from needles with diameters as large as hundreds of microns. Until now, however, researchers were unsure if the high voltages required for this technique would damage living cells. Jayasinghe and co-workers have demonstrated that cells can be processed at electric fields as high as 30 kilovolts without being harmed.
Imagine microsurgery where the surgeon (or, more likely, a computer under supervision), literally rebuilds a damaged or worn out organ.