The "living ink" containing bacteria forms different three-dimensional structures that are expected to be used in skin and organ transplants.

The online edition of the American journal Science, physicists' network, recently reported a breakthrough in 3D bioprinting: a team of European scientists has developed a "living ink" containing bacteria that can form different three-dimensional structures depending on the types of bacteria added, and could be used in skin and organ transplants in the future.
skin and organ transplants can save many patients, but the technology has a lack of sources, rejection reactions and other drawbacks.
3D bioprinting is considered to be a solution and has become a hot research topic in the field of medicine, but one of the most important problems is the slow progress in the study of bioprint materials.
the usual 3D printing of the "ink" is plastic or metal powder and other inanimate substances, suitable for the manufacture of some high-strength materials, but biocompatible materials, such as skin grafts, the softness and toughness requirements are very high, the traditional "ink" completely does not meet the requirements.
, a team from the Composites Laboratory of the Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) in Zurich has developed a 3D-printed "live ink" containing different types of bacteria, suitable for skin transplantation, chemical degradation and other fields, depending on the characteristics of various types of bacteria.
the main component of the "ink" is a biocompatible hydrogel consisting of hyaluronic acid, long-chain sugar molecules and pyrolysis, in which bacteria can survive.
gels are added to live - including stinky pseudomonas, which can be used to degrade common waste in chemical production, and wood acetaminobacteria, which can be synthesized for skin transplants and organ transplants.
this new achievement is now called "functional live ink", very environmentally friendly, safe, completely harmless to the human body and the environment.
it is equivalent to a carrier, adding a bacterium to it, which will then extend the "ink" to a function.
research team members say that the adoption of this "live ink" 3D printing in the future will have great potential in countless possible areas.
for 3D bioprinting, the selection of materials has been a huge problem, but also the most time-consuming and cost-consuming.
But by adding different bacteria and allowing the ink to exhibit different properties, it's the equivalent of getting a generic material -- as long as humans have mastered the properties of the bacteria, they can get the ability to function accordingly.
and in nature, there are potential bacteria how many!