The entire tissue organ folds into various originally set shapes.

Many tissues, both in the brain and in the gut, are set to bend, twist, and fold in a specific way.
, scientists now use this program to create bowls, coins, and slugs using living tissue that folds themselves.
to do this, the researchers started with cells that collected connective tissue from mouse embryos.
the tissue, called interstitial, contains two layers of cells: one in which the cells stretch and the other is that the cells are huddled together.
when the huddled cell layer is on top of the extended cell layer, both cause the tissue to bend inwards like a bowl.
researchers used 3D printers to model cells in petri dishes.
, a gel containing tiny fibers is found in a petri dish.
these fibers are made up of the structural support that is naturally secreted by cells in the body, the extracellular matrix.
by choosing how each group of cells known to researchers will bend, they fold the entire tissue into various originally set shapes.
results were published in the journal Developmental Cells.
eventually, the researchers hope to use this strategy to create more natural tissues and organs that can replace tissues lost due to aging or disease.
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