Cell Printing-University of Missouri-Kidneys Made To Order

Forgacs uses a custom-built machine about the size of a large refrigerator called a bioprinter that lays down small bio-ink particles, or spheres packed with 10,000 to 40,000 human cells. These spheres are then assembled or "printed" on to sheets of organic, cell friendly "bio-paper." Once printed, the spheres began to fuse in the bio-paper into one structure, much the same way that drops of water will fuse to form a larger drop of water. Blood vessels are currently being manufactured, and once developed further, this technology could be used to create organs or bioconstructs that reproduce organ function, engineer bones and build blood vessels.

http://rcp.missouri.edu/articles/for...rtnership.html