研究ers from the伯明翰大学和哈德斯菲尔德大学英国，已经开发了一种新的3D生物打印技术，可用于治疗慢性伤口。
Named Suspended Layer Additive Manufacturing (SLAM), the approach enables the printing of a novel biomaterial that accurately simulates the structure of mammalian skin.
In fact, according to the researchers, the biomaterial is the first of its kind to simulate all three of the major layers found in skin – the hypodermis, the dermis, and the epidermis – making it a unique tri-layered skin equivalent. Early experiments suggest that the 3D bioprinted skin can be placed at the site of a wound to induce healing, reducing scar tissue in the process.
皮肤 - 三层深
Although our skin is quite adept at healing surface-level cuts, deeper chronic wounds are often more of a challenge to repair. This is because our skin actually consists of three different layers, and the top layer tends to heal faster than the bottom layers, causing deeper wounds to sometimes collapse on themselves. The result is scar tissue and a reduction in normal skin function.
医学研究人员已经一段时间一直在尝试开发准确的皮肤替代品，但是英国团队申明，这些皮肤模型都无法模拟真实物质的化学和机械特性。问题？事实证明，模仿三层结构已被证明很困难，因为每一层的性质都大不相同。
“You effectively have three different cell types. They all grow at different speeds,” explains Alan Smith, co-author of the study. “If you try to produce tri-layered structures, it can be very difficult to provide each of the requirements of each different layer.”
Suspended Layer Additive Manufacturing
In order to better mimic the natural structure of skin, the researchers employed SLAM. The bioprinting technique involves suspending layers of biomaterial in a gel, where they can be arranged and stacked into strips while maintaining their formation. In the case of the present study, the researchers deposited hypodermis, dermis, and epidermis cells into the supporting gel before washing the gel away, leaving behind just the layered skin equivalent.
To test the printed skin patch, the team then cut a hole in a sample of pig skin, filling the hole with the printed skin equivalent. The entire model was cultured for a period of two weeks and the researchers actually observed signs of repair in the wound.
该研究的合着者利亚姆·格罗弗（Liam Grover）补充说：“我们使用了使我们能够量化原始材料和组织之间的整合的污渍。”“即使在短时间内，我们也能够证明一些整合。”
尽管由于愈合过程的时间比模型允许的时间更长，但该团队无法完全评估3D印刷皮肤替代品的功效，但最初的结果确实非常有前途。英国研究人员现在打算使用更稳固的模型进行慢性伤口进行更长的研究，其最终目标是3D打印三层皮肤替代品能够治愈真实人体皮肤。
该研究的更多细节可以在标题为“”的论文中找到A suspended layer additive manufacturing approach to the bioprinting of tri-layered skin equivalents’。
The field of bioprinting is a fast-growing one, with applications in everything from regenerative medicine and drug discovery to food. Just recently, biotechnology firmPrellis Biologics宣布创作小说基于3D生物打印的抗体发现平台。该公司的平台有效地是一种功能性的免疫系统，能够重现人类细胞之间的相互作用和免疫反应，使其非常适合进行疾病治疗R＆D。
在其他地方，再生医学公司CTIBIOTECH最近开发了一个新的3D生物打印平台personalized medicine for patients with colorectal cancer。与普罗夫迪夫医科大学和UMHAT-Eurohospital in Bulgaria, the platform is capable of producing cost-effective and reproducible human colon cancer disease models and can also be used for chemotherapeutic screening.
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Featured image shows the hypodermis, the dermis, and the epidermis. Image via University of Birmingham.
