Home Research & Education Functional 3D Printed Ovary for Mice

Functional 3D Printed Ovary for Mice

Researchers of the Northwestern University have 3D printed an ovary and implemented it into a mouse. The organ was working and the mice could even give birth.  

The research team around Dr. Monica M. Laronda has used a 3D printer to produce scaffolding that could support hormone-producing cells and oocytes, which are immature egg cells. This structure was created with biogel (a sort of bioink) and represents an ovary. While designing the biofical ovary, the research team had to keep in mind that the organ was strong enough to be transplanted into the mice without destroying it.

laronda3Dovary
Dr. Monica M. Laronda

Next step was to remove the ovary of a healthy female mouse and transplante the printed ovary. The female mice could regenerate and even give birth to healthy litter with the 3D printed organ. That was the proof that the organ was fully functional.

Although this research was tested on mice, it was started with the human body and its organs in mind.

We developed this implant with downstream human applications in mind, as it is made through a scalable 3D printing method, using a material already used in humans.We hope to one day restore fertility and hormone function in women who suffer from the side effects of cancer treatments or who were born with reduced ovarian function.

Now, the team wants to work on other organs and someday they may be able to transplant fully functional organs to the human body. With the technique that is currently being researched, they hope that it will be possible.  


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