1. Artificial organic tissue refers to biocompatible tissue made in vitro that can be integrated in a human as replacement for a diseased or damaged tissue. These substitute tissues can be produced by first seeding human cells into scaffolds and then incubating in mediums containing growth factors.
2. Scaffolds act as replica of the extracellular matrix of the native tissue , providing framework for attachment of cells and further development. They can be made from biodegradable polymers like hydrogel (hydrophilic) or carbon based nano materials like graphene (unique mechanical , electrical and optical properties).
3. Alternative to Organ Transplantation – A person’s own collagen can also be used as scaffold to create new tissues , thus customizing it so that it would not be rejected by the immune system. In this way,problems of current organ transplantation like shortage of donated organs and immune rejection can be overcome.

Future Scope

Complex organ tissues like those of heart , lung and liver have been successfully recreated in the lab which can be used for research purposes , especially drug testing so as to reduce clinical trials on animals.

Multidisciplinary research at the Wyss Institute , Boston, has led to the development of an innovative , multi material 3D bioprinting technology that has resulted in the first entirely 3D printed organ on a chip – a heart on a chip – with integrated soft strain sensors.