3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / Vienna Researchers 3D Print Placenta Barrier on a Chip
qidi

Vienna Researchers 3D Print Placenta Barrier on a Chip

August 15, 2018

Modeling and simulation is just one of the fields that bioprinting has given a boost to. Researchers often create artificial test models to see how biological systems interact with each other, from cell tissue to medicines. Now, researchers in Vienna are taking modeling even further by reproducing the placental barrier to investigate prenatal functions, and especially, the permeability of its membrane when passing crucial substances from mother to child.

Programmable Liquid Chip is a Multi-purpose 'Lab'
Related Story
3D Printed Programmable Liquid Chip is a Multi-Purpose Lab

The researchers at TU Wien developed a femtosecond laser-based 3D printing process that produces hydrogel membranes directly within microfluidic chips. They then populated these membranes with placenta cells and studied the material exchanges as though they were between mother and child. It is opening up new insights into processes such as glucose exchange and barrier permeability.

Vienna Researchers 3D Print Placenta Barrier on a Chip

“The transport of substances through biological membranes plays an important role in various areas of medicine”, says Prof. Aleksandr Ovsianikov of the Institute of Materials Science and Technology at TU Wien. “These include the blood-brain barrier, ingestion of food in the stomach and intestine, and also the placenta.”

Studying the Placental Barrier

Vienna Researchers 3D Print Placenta Barrier on a Chip

Studying the placental barrier has a lot of applications in the world of biotech and medicine. Most crucially, it allows biologists to study the interactions in the womb in cases where the mother may have diseases. As a result, they can better predict the effects of various ailments such as diabetes and possibly develop means to counteract the effects or at least advise new mothers accordingly.

The chip, as can be seen above, consists of two areas: one represents the fetus, the other the mother. They used the 3D printing process to produce the membrane that divides them. As one would expect, their 3D printer can work with resolutions within the micrometre range.

“Based on the model of the natural placenta, we produce a surface with small, curved villi. The placenta cells can then colonise it, creating a barrier very similar to the natural placenta.” Said Professor Ovsianikov.

Initial tests show that the artificial placenta behaves in a similar manner to its natural counterpart. It allows small molecules to pass through, while holding back the larger ones. In effect, it acts like a collander for potentially harmful molecules. The model can also allow researchers to investigate important aspects of nutrient transport from the mother to the fetus.

Microfluidics and chip-based organ research has opened up a lot of avnues for new research. It allows for medical professionals to measure the isolated features of organs and the interactions that alter their behavior. Researchers can also glean insight on disease patters and cure rates using these chips.

All featured images courtesy of TU Wien, retrieved via technologynetworks website.

Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

University of Pennsylvania Researchers Develop Carbon-Capturing Concrete

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created a new type of concrete that captures carbon dioxide while maintaining structural integrity. The material... read more »

Construction

Dutch 3D Printing Startup Novenda Technologies Raises $6.1M for Dental Manufacturing Platform

Dutch startup Novenda Technologies has secured $6.1 million in Series A funding to advance its multi-material 3D printing platform for dental products. The... read more »

Dental

Singapore Startup Creates Limited Edition 3D-Printed Collectibles from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Singapore-based startup Unigons has launched a limited collection of 3D-printed Merlion figurines made from recycled plastic bottles. The company produced 60 pieces of... read more »

News
Singapore Startup Creates Limited Edition 3D-Printed Collectibles from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Designer Uses Robotic 3D Printing to Create Dual-Purpose Dog Furniture

Designer Liam de la Bedoyere has developed the Dog Hut Side Table, a piece of furniture that combines a resting space for dogs... read more »

News
Designer Uses Robotic 3D Printing to Create Dual-Purpose Dog Furniture

Scientists 3D Print Solar-Powered Sponge for Seawater Desalination

Researchers have developed a 3D-printed aerogel material that uses sunlight to convert seawater into drinking water. The sponge-like structure contains microscopic vertical channels... read more »

News

Revopoint Launches Major Prime Event 2025 Sale with Up to 40% Off 3D Scanners and Accessories

Revopoint is kicking off its Prime Event 2025 with a series of major discounts on its range of professional 3D scanners and accessories.... read more »

News

Turkish Companies Test 3D Printed Component for Armored Vehicles

MetalWorm and Nurol Makina, both based in Ankara, Turkey, have completed testing of an armored vehicle component manufactured using Directed Energy Deposition (DED)... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Turkish Companies Test 3D Printed Component for Armored Vehicles

McGill Spinout Uses 3D Bioprinting to Create Tumors for Smarter Cancer Treatments

TissueTinker, a McGill University spinout company, has developed 3D bioprinting technology to create miniaturized tumor models for cancer drug testing. The company recently... read more »

Medical
McGill Spinout Uses 3D Bioprinting to Create Tumors for Smarter Cancer Treatments

University of Twente Awarded €13.6M for Research in Circular 3D Printing and Transparent AI

The University of Twente has received €13.6 million in funding from the 2024 NWA ORC program to lead two research projects focused on... read more »

News
University of Twente Awarded €13.6M for Research in Circular 3D Printing and Transparent AI

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing