SYDNEY, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed a 3D printing technique that generates anatomically accurate replicas of blood vessels within two hours, which helps unravel secrets of strokes.
The device so far has helped the researchers study blood clots that lead to stroke and could be used to trial new drugs without relying on animal testing, according to a news release of the University of Sydney on Wednesday.
Created by University of Sydney engineers and dubbed "artery on a chip," the 3D-printed blood vessels on glass mimic blood vessel anatomy and the fluid dynamics of blood flow, providing an invaluable tool for studying stroke causes, the news release said.
Although there are well established diagnosis methods for cardiovascular diseases, there is no method to predict early events that lead to blood clots in carotid arteries, it said.
"We're not just printing blood vessels -- we're printing hope for millions at risk of stroke worldwide," aiming to provide personalized vascular medicine to all who need it, said PhD candidate Yunduo Charles Zhao from the School of Biomedical Engineering, the University of Sydney.
The researchers used CT scans from stroke patients to produce miniature 3D models of carotid arteries, shrinking their size from the normal 5-7 mm down to just 200-300 micrometers and reducing the manufacturing time from 10 hours to two hours.
The study allowed the researchers to witness, in real time and under the microscope, blood clot formation and the behavior of platelets, which are a crucial component involved in blood clotting that could lead to a stroke, according to the news release.
The technology revealed that the friction and force created by blood flow moving against the lining of the blood vessels played a huge part in platelet movement that regulates clotting. This occurs during high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, a disease of the arteries, it said.
The next frontier, according to the researchers, is integrating artificial intelligence with the biofabrication platform to create true "digital twins" that can predict stroke events before they happen, moving from reactive treatment to proactive prevention. ■
