Within a few decades, transplant patients might opt for live, lab-grown kidneys and other organs rather than risk languishing for years on donor-organ queues. Researchers are advancing toward safer, healthier major organ replacements with three-dimensional (3-D) bioprinting, although vast challenges remain. Bioprinters are a specialized type of 3-D printer. Instead of putting down layers of plastic or metal to manufacture objects from simple toys to sophisticated medical devices, 3-D bioprinters are putting down layers of cells and biocompatible materials to create live human tissues, organ parts, and miniature organs for research.

中文翻译：

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生物打印的未来：多学科团队寻求创造活体人体器官。

在几十年内，移植患者可能会选择活的、实验室培养的肾脏和其他器官，而不是冒着在供体器官队列中苦苦挣扎多年的风险。研究人员正在通过三维 (3-D)生物打印技术向更安全、更健康的主要器官替代品迈进，尽管仍然存在巨大挑战。生物打印机是一种特殊类型的 3D 打印机。3D 生物打印机不是放下塑料或金属层来制造从简单玩具到复杂医疗设备的物体，而是放下细胞和生物相容性材料层来制造活的人体组织、器官部件和微型器官以供研究。