新奇事件簿 生物打印技术新突破（在线收听）

Scientists say they have greatly advanced the possibility of being able to reproduce the body's organs via the use of 3D printing. Replacement organs could be created using a new technique for bio-printing organic tissue. This allows scientists to create networks of thin tubes and vessels, like those used in our body for the flow of blood and air. These are called vascular networks. Bio-engineering professor Jordan Miller explained why the breakthrough was so important. He said: "One of the biggest roadblocks to generating functional tissue replacements has been our inability to print the complex [vascular networks] that can supply nutrients to densely populated tissues."

科学家们表示他们已经极大提高了利用3D打印技术复制身体器官的可能性。利用生物打印有机组织的新技术可以创造出替代器官。这使得科学家们能够创造出由细管和血管组成的网络，比如用于身体血液和空气循环的网络。这些被称为血管网络。生物工程教授约旦·米勒解释了这一突破为何如此重要。他说：“一直以来生成功能性组织替代的最大障碍之一是我们无法打印出能够为密集组织提供营养物质的复杂血管网络。”

Professor Kelly Stevens of the University of Washington wrote about the difficulties scientists had in recreating a vascular network. She said: "Tissue engineering has struggled with this for a generation." She believes the new breakthrough will allow medical practices to change in the future. She asked: "If we can print tissues that look and now even breathe more like the healthy tissues in our bodies, will they also then functionally behave more like those tissues?" Professor Stevens said "This is an important question, because how well a bio-printed tissue functions will affect how successful it will be as a therapy." Scientists hope this method will help millions of people waiting for an organ transplant.

华盛顿大学的凯利·史蒂文斯教授写过科学家们在再创造一个血管网络时所面临的困难。她表示：“一代人都在组织工程学中挣扎。”她相信这项新突破将使医疗实践在未来发生改变。她问道：“如果我们可以打印出长相一样，甚至还能像我们体内的健康组织一样呼吸的组织，那么它们的功能是否也和那些组织一样呢？”史蒂文斯教授表示，“这是一个重要的问题，因为一个生物打印组织功能好坏将影响它在治疗中的成功与否。”科学家们希望这种方法将帮助数百万等待器官移植的人。