In Images: Live Cells Printed into Weird Shapes

Printing cells

Printing live cells — (Image credit: LIdong Qin)

A 2014 paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed a new way to print live cells.

Any shape

cells printed using block-printing method — (Image credit: Lidong Qin)

The new method can print cells into any arbitrary shape and spaced close together or far apart.

Ancient method

chinese characters on printing blocks — (Image credit: B&T Media Group, Inc. | Shutterstock.com)

The team took inspiration for the idea from kids' rubber stamps, which are very similar to the ancient wooden blocks used to print Chinese characters.

Cell array

live cells printed — (Image credit: Lidong Qin)

Unlike past methods that use inkjet printing, almost all the cells printed with this technique survive the printing process.

Glowing ells

fluorescent cells in live cell printing — (Image credit: Lidong Qin)

Here, cells printed into an array glow green.

Multiple cell types

cell printing technology — (Image credit: Lidong Qin)

The new method can be used with multiple cell types

Gallery of shapes

block printing — (Image credit: Lidong Qin)

Here, the cells are printed into multiple shapes

Mini-brain networks

The method could be used to more accurately capture communication between neurons, or brain cells.