Oct 22, 2015 3 min read

Organ donation shortages cause about 30 deaths a day in the United States alone. There is a lengthy waiting list of those in need of an organ transplant, and the supply of donors is scarce. However, science is working on solutions to this problem.

Technology can do quite amazing things, and one of those things is giving scientists the ability to create human organs using a number of techniques including bioprinting, organ regenerating and artificially producing organs. Because the need for organ donation is staggering, these techniques can be use to help supplement the organ supply to end shortages.

Although about 90 percent of people support organ donation in the United States, only about 45 percent actually sign up as donors. This creates a huge shortage that science is working to reduce. Bioprinting is one of the methods scientists are using. The process uses an ink-jet printer to create 3D shapes that harden after the polymers go through the printing process. For 3D bioprinting, cellular material goes through the printer, and the end product is human tissue.

Stereolithography is another form of 3D bioprinting. This process converts computer-aided design (CAD) files into models using a laser light that creates a scaffolding frame. This frame is then immersed in cells and nutrients that grow around it. These processes are still undergoing tests to ensure they are not toxic to individuals who receive the organs, but future uses seem imminent.

Scientists are also using these scaffolding frameworks and bathing them in the patient’s cells in order to create a new organ. Many patients are simply waiting for organs, and if organs are available, they may or may not be suitable for transplant to a particular candidate. This organ regeneration procedure allows patients the opportunity to grow their own organs, ensuring availability and a perfect match.

For example, scientists can harvest healthy cells from a diseased bladder and grow a new bladder for the patient using regeneration. The process takes about six to eight weeks. Several patients have already received bladders in this way, and as advances are made, different types of organs are being grown.

Artificial organs are also being produced by scientists as a solution for organ donation shortages. Patients who have major organ failure can receive an artificial heart that can aid in pumping blood. The goal of these organs is to keep the patient living until a human organ is available for transplant. For example, the greatest length of time a patient has survived with an artificial heart is four years.

However, as technology changes, other types of artificial organs are being created. Because kidney failure is a major issue, scientists are working on developing an artificial kidney that can be utilized as a replacement. The artificial organ helps to maintain water balance in the body and remove toxins through silicon filters. Human testing will begin in the next couple years.

The processes of bioprinting, regenerating organs and creating artificial organs all offer solutions for organ donation shortages. Technology continues on a rapid pace of development. Although some of these solutions are temporary and further development is needed, the answer to these shortages is within reach.