Mice with 3D-Printed Ovaries Successfully Give Birth

Mice with 3D-Printed Ovaries Successfully Give Birth

Mice that were implanted with artificial 3D-printed ovaries have successfully been able to give birth according to researchers. Even though these trials were successful, these researchers say that human ones are a long way off. A 3D printer was used to build the scaffolding of the organ. Layers of gelatin were woven to create tiny ovaries on glass slides. They tested the scaffolds by implanting a follicle, the tiny sacs made from hormone-secreting cells that contain the maturing eggs. The tightest weave supported the highest survival rates, so tiny circles were punched out of the tightly woven structure and 40-50 follicles were put into the ovaries. Seven mice’s natural ovaries were replaced with the bioprosthetic ovaries. A week after the ovaries were replaced, the follicles on the scaffolding were able to connect with the blood supplies of the mice. These ovaries soon released eggs just like natural ovaries would. The mice were allowed to mate and out of the seven mice with the bioprosthetic ovaries, three gave birth. The ovaries were made out of a special gelatin or hydrogel, which was created to be strong enough to be handled during surgery but also penetrable to allow the eggs to pass through. The researchers were actually surprised the ovaries worked on the first try. “The goal of the project is to be able to restore fertility and endocrine health to young cancer patients who have been sterilized by their cancer treatment,” comments Teresa Woodruff from Northwestern University. The researchers are now testing ovaries in mini-pigs since their menstrual cycle is more similar to a human. But since human ovaries are much larger and develop more rapidly, it will take many more years to develop bioprosthetic ovaries.