Biomedical researchers fromTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso(TTUHSC El Paso) and德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索大学（UTEP）正在合作，使用3D生物构图技术为空间开发人造迷你心脏。
这些心脏组织结构将发送到International Space Station（ISS）了解微重力如何影响人心的功能，尤其是在称为心脏萎缩的健康状况方面。
The ‘artificial mini-heart,’ otherwise known as a cardiac organoid, will be produced using a combination of human stem cells and 3D bioprinting. The project, which began in September 2019, will take course over the next three years. It is funded by the国家科学基金会(NSF) and the space station’s U.S. National Laboratory.
TTUHSC El Paso faculty scientist Munmun Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., a researcher on the project, states:
“从这项研究中收集的知识可用于制定技术和治疗策略，以更好地对抗宇航员经历的组织萎缩，并为改善因疾病而患有严重心脏病的人的治疗打开大门。”
How does microgravity affect our hearts?
参与该项目的研究人员是Chattopadhyay博士和UTEP生物医学工程师Binata Joddar博士。Chattopadhyay博士是TTUHSC El Paso糖尿病和代谢重点中心的助理教授，是Paul L. Foster医学院分子与转化医学系的一部分。Joddar博士是UTEP工程学院的助理教授，并在大学启发的材料和基于干细胞的组织工程实验室中进行了研究。
Together, the researchers will collaborate to 3D bioprint small cardiac organoids using human stem cells. These heart-tissue structures will then be sent to the ISS, where they will be exposed to the near-weightless environment of the orbiting space station. The researchers hope that this will provide a better understanding of cardiac atrophy, which is a reduction and weakening of heart tissue, leading to difficulty pumping blood to the body. This condition commonly affects astronauts who spend long periods of time in microgravity, which causes significant problems as a weakened heart muscle can lead to symptoms such as fainting, irregular heartbeat, heart valve problems, and even heart failure.
“心脏萎缩和相关状况，心脏纤维化，在我们社区中是一个非常大的问题。患有糖尿病，肌肉营养不良和癌症等疾病的人，以及败血症和充血性心力衰竭等疾病，经常遭受心脏功能障碍和组织损伤。
该项目的第一阶段将重点放在研究设计上。在此阶段，第一年发生，Joddar博士将使用3D打印来制造心脏器官。这将通过以生理比率与模拟心脏组织耦合心脏细胞来实现。进入第二年，研究人员将准备火箭发射和太空任务的器官有效载荷。该项目的第三年也是最后一年将集中于一旦类型器返回地球，该项目将分析实验中的数据。
此外，Chattopadhyay博士和Joddar博士的项目将为El Paso社区提供教育机会。将在组织工程主题周围的本地建立一个针对K-12学生的研讨会，并将重点放在空间站的项目上。还将为医学生，实习生和居民提供研讨会，以讨论从基于地球的实验室转移到太空的好处和挑战。
3D bioprinting aboard the ISS
The TTUHSC El Paso and UTEP collaborative research project is one of just five research proposals selected by the NSF and ISS National Lab in 2019 as part of the organizations’ collaboration on tissue-engineering research funding. The NSF awarded Dr. Chattopadhyay $256,892 and Dr. Joddar $259,350 for their roles in the project.
A number of 3D bioprinting research projects have taken place aboard the ISS, as companies and organizations seek further understanding of how space flight affects astronauts.
For example, Russian bio-technical research laboratory3D生物打印溶液开发了它的器官。AUT磁3D生物运输工组生物如何受到外层空间长途飞行的影响。In 2018, it was delivered to the ISS onboard the Soyuz MS-11 manned spacecraft following a previous failed launch from theSOYUZ MS-10太空飞行。2019年底，该公司能够3D生物构骨组织为零重力使用器官。该实验是在长期行星际探险期间创建用于宇航员移植的骨植入物的计划的一部分。
另外，3D BioFabrication Facility（BFF）生物生产商nScrypt，位于佛罗里达州的3D打印系统制造商和太空飞行设备开发人员Techshotis also onboard the ISS. Delivered to the ISS aboard the SpaceX CRS-18 cargo mission in 2019, the system is capable of在微重力条件下制造人体组织。它已发送到ISS，以促进可以自支撑组织的生产，这可能导致治疗性治疗的发展。
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特色图显示了ISS外观。通过Roscosmos/ NASA/ TTUHSC El Paso摄影。
