Liquid metal unlocks a way to make artificial blood vessels

Lab-grown organs for transplant are one step closer thanks to a technique for making artificial blood vessels using 3D printers and liquid metal.

One challenge in developing organs in the lab is to reproduce the microscopic structure of blood vessels that permeate the tissue. In the body, cells are supported by the extracellular matrix (ECM), a gel-like network of proteins such as collagen that acts as a natural scaffolding, giving structure to tissues and organs.