We are well aware of what a printer does.Researchers at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina have come up with the idea of ‘printing’ skin on burns and wounds as a healing solution. The method incorporates the segregation of different types of skin cells from a skin portion and then letting them multiply in chemical solutions. After the desired amount of cells are produced, the cells are “bioprinted” on the respective wounds to initiate the healing process. The size of the wound and shape are previously recorded by laser so that the cells to be sprayed can perfectly cover up the wound.

At present the method has been applied on mice; the result of which showed a faster healing process of about two weeks which was otherwise five weeks. Their next attempt will be on pigs as pig cells are similar to human cells.”The team will eventually seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to test the device on humans, said George Christ, a professor of regenerative medicine at the school.”

[source : reuters.com]