In the most recent medical development in artificial organ creation, a team of scientists and physicians from cornell university have engineered 3D printed life-like ears used to treat children born with a congenital deformity called microtia, or help individuals who have lost part or all of their external ear in an accident or from cancer. The artificial body tissue is made by processing additive gels found within living cells – with collagen derived from rat tails and cartilage taken from cow ears. The modelling process is digitized into an assemble-able human ear, where then high-density gel, similar to the consistency of jell-o is injected into a mold – resulting in flesh resembling that of a human-being. In the future, the engineers will look at new ways to develop populations of human ear cartilage cells from patients instead of cow cartilage, which would reduce any possibility of rejection.
