초록 ▼

The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system con

The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure, said method comprising: providing a data set representing a living three-dimensional structure to be fabricated;providing a printable composition comprising a hydrogel seeded with cells; andprinting the printable composition onto a sub

1. A method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure, said method comprising: providing a data set representing a living three-dimensional structure to be fabricated;providing a printable composition comprising a hydrogel seeded with cells; andprinting the printable composition onto a substrate in layers in a pattern in accordance with the data set suitable to fabricate the living three-dimensional structure without the need to provide a negative template;wherein the printable composition is capable of (i) bonding between printed layers, (ii) holding its shape against gravity, and (iii) cross-linking slowly enough to prevent cell and material shearing during printing; andwherein 94±5% of the cells in the fabricated living three-dimensional structure are viable. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogel is an alginate gel. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogel further comprises a cross-linking compound. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cells are of a single cell type. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the cells are chondrocytes. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cells are of more than one cell type. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said printing is carried out under sterile conditions. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said printing is carried out in a hermetically sealed envelope. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data set comprises geometry and cell distribution data of the structure to be fabricated, the method further comprising: programming a system controller with instructions effective to cause said printing to produce a living three-dimensional structure with a desired geometry and cell distribution. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the geometry is free-form. 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the geometry is an anatomic shape. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the anatomic shape is patient-specific. 13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data set is generated by a computerized scan of a tissue/organ. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the computerized scan is achieved by computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. 15. The method according to claim 1 further comprising: incubating the living three-dimensional structure under conditions effective to grow the cells. 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition is printed from a syringe. 17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition is printed from a deposition tool with an accuracy and repeatability of ±25μm. 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said printing is carried out at a maximum applied pressure of 1592 kPa. 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said printing is carried out at a maximum volumetric flow of 10.5 mL/s.