3D-printing for live blood vessels

Blood vessels are vital parts of the body's circulatory system that supply the organs with nutrients and remove waste. Scientists have developed artificial tissue from the heart, liver and lungs, but creating a synthetic network of blood vessels to support these organs has been a challenge. Scientists from the Universities of Sydney, Harvard, Stanford and MIT have been working together to overcome this challenge. Now, the researchers have created 'live' artificial blood vessels in a lab using 3D-printing methods.

Right now, the actual structures don't bear much resemblance to what you'd find in a person -- you get a "spaghetti bowl" of vessels. Scientists hope to organize these vessels the way they exist in nature, though. If that happens, you could one day see artificial tissue samples and even transplants that are about as realistic as you can get.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/12/06/scientists-3d-print-live-blood-vessels/