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Accelerating wound healing with 3D-Printing system PAINT.

Posted on July 28, 2023

The innovative 3D-printing system known as PAINT (Portable Bioactive Ink for Tissue Healing) was developed by researchers in China. PAINT utilizes extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from white blood cells to create a beneficial gel that can be applied to wounds, promoting faster healing through enhanced immune-system response. We’ll delve into how PAINT works, its potential applications in wound healing, and its advantages over traditional methods. During testing on injured mice, the PAINT system demonstrated significant benefits. Mice treated with PAINT showed accelerated collagen fiber formation and almost complete healing of a large wound within 12 days. In comparison, mice not receiving the PAINT treatment were not as far along in the healing process after the same period. These results indicate the potential of the PAINT system to significantly enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration in both experimental and clinical settings.

The researchers conducted experiments using extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from macrophages and sodium alginate to create the PAINT bioactive ink. The EVs in the ink played a crucial role in promoting blood vessel formation and reducing inflammatory markers in human epithelial cells. This resulted in shifting the cells into the “proliferative” or growth phase of the wound healing process. The bioactive EVs also reprogrammed macrophage polarization and promoted the proliferation and migration of endothelial cells, effectively regulating inflammation and enhancing angiogenesis in wounds. According to the paper,” the research was conducted by Nanjing University researchers Dan Li, Xianguang Ding, and Lianhui Wang. The researchers created the ink from the extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from white blood cells, essential in promoting blood vessel formation and reducing inflammation during wound healing. They tested PAINT on injured mice, where it announced collagen fiber formation. The system comprises ink, cellular material, and a 3D-printing pen. The researchers said the latter can be used to spread the ink into a superficial wound of any shape to accelerate the healing process. PAINT’s ability to speed up vascular regeneration and, thus, the actual healing process is in contrast to the typical things currently done to promote recovery in a wound, such as cleaning, bandages, stitches, or even antibiotics. The first three facilitate the body’s natural healing process rather than augmenting it, and the fourth primarily staves off infection.”

As the field of 3D printing continues to advance, innovations like the PAINT system demonstrate the immense potential of this technology in the medical and healthcare industries. By harnessing the power of bioactive materials and 3D printing techniques, researchers and medical professionals can offer faster, more tailored solutions for wound healing, ultimately improving the quality of life for patients worldwide. The future looks promising for the PAINT system and similar breakthroughs, as they hold the key to transforming wound care and positively impacting global healthcare practices.

PAINTing a wound-healing ink into cuts with a 3D-printing pen.

Elizabeth Montalbano | Jul 28, 2023. 3D-Printing System Can Speed Up Wound Healing.