Specialized 3D printer could produce artificial blood vessels

A novel study published in Nature Communications has highlighted the importance of a 3D printing technique that allows localized control of an object's firmness. This new approach to 3D printing has potential in producing the next generation of artificial arteries and organ tissue. Engineers at the University of Colorado (CO, USA) have developed a 3D printing technique which prints in layers and features fine-grain, programmable control over rigidity. This allows researchers to replicate the complex structure of blood vessels but still maintain the necessary flexibility. "The idea was to add independent mechanical properties to 3D structures that can mimic the...