In a competition organized by NASA, two teams of researchers created human tissue. These integrate a vascular structure allowing them to stay alive outside the body for a month. For the US space agency, this is a major step forward for astronauts on mission.
On June 10, 2021, NASA released a statement detailing the results of a specific competition. The Vascular Tissue Challenge aimed to identify innovations giving the possibility of creating functional organs Starting from nothing. The California-based Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) particularly stood out as two of its teams won the first two prizes. These two teams have – using two different techniques – developed functional human tissues. The latter integrate a vascular structure allowing them to remain alive outside the body for about thirty days. As NASA explains, this is a great first.
You should know that other researchers have already created artificial organs, still in the experimental state. This involved making human cells and prolonging their survival in a living organism. The WFIRM teams have created solid organs copying the vascular structure of the human liver . According to contest manager Lynn Harper, the most important thing about these fabrics is their ability to mimic what happens in the body. In addition, the two teams used 3D printing of human cells. Above all, the network of blood vessels obtained has been shown to be able to maintain a sufficient level of oxygen and nutrients to survive a month.
NASA says it organized the Vascular Tissue Challenge with the goal of applying this kind of technology on long-duration space missions. Indeed, having available organs to transplant in case of need is a more than interesting possibility. However, the interest is even more pronounced if it becomes a question of organs that can be manufactured and stored in advance. Moreover, if astronauts can make organs with their own cells, then the risk of rejection would be non-existent.
Let's also mention a mandatory condition regarding contest participants. Indeed, their innovation should also find an application on Earth . The thing is, "fake" human body parts that can react like the real ones could have multiple uses. Examples include the replacement of organs in areas of conflict (or natural disasters), testing drugs or even modeling the progression of a disease.
Finally, the results of the two teams should soon be sent to the International Space Station (ISS). It will be a question of studying the effects of radiation on the human body at the cellular level and in the long term.
