You may not be able to grow bigger muscles out of thin air, but you can 3D print them in microgravity, scientists at ETH Zurich have now established.
"3D printing" refers to a type of manufacturing that builds physical objects layer by layer. Different types of objects have been successfully 3D printed 3D print human tissue in space also opens up the door for future medical research and testing.
You may be wondering, though: Why does the 3D printing of these organs need to happen in space? Well, One problem with manufacturing body tissue on Earth is that gravity adds stress to the materials being used in the process (aka, bioink), which poses a major challenge to producing muscle fibers exactly as they are in the human body, according to a press release from Zurich's Department of Health Sciences and Technology.
To work toward getting around this issue, researchers used parabolic flights to simulate microgravity conditions, then 3D printed muscle tissue in weightlessness with a biofabrication system they call G-FLight (Gravity-independent Filamented Light).
The latest research is another step toward a reality where it may be artificial retinas in space, leveraging the microgravity environment to make better implants and help people regain sight. Furthermore, other types of vascularized tissue, including liver tissue, have been bladders using bioprinting, and have successfully transplanted a 3D printed windpipe.
artificial hearts are slated to be sent to the orbiting laboratory to test how the environment of space may impact astronauts who may someday embark on long duration space missions.