新奇事件簿 生物打印技术新突破

Scientists say they have greatly advanced the possibility of being able to reproduce the body's organs via the use of 3D printing. Replacement¹ organs could be created using a new technique for bio-printing organic tissue. This allows scientists to create networks of thin tubes and vessels², like those used in our body for the flow of blood and air. These are called vascular³ networks. Bio-engineering professor Jordan Miller⁴ explained why the breakthrough was so important. He said: "One of the biggest roadblocks to generating functional⁵ tissue replacements⁶ has been our inability to print the complex [vascular networks] that can supply nutrients⁷ to densely⁸ 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 functionally⁹ 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。

1 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

2 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 vascular   

adj.血管的，脉管的

参考例句：

• The mechanism of this anomalous vascular response is unknown.此种不规则的血管反应的机制尚不清楚。
• The vascular changes interfere with diffusion of nutrients from plasma into adjacent perivascular tissue and cells.这些血管变化干扰了营养物质从血浆中向血管周围邻接的组织和细胞扩散。

4 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

5 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

6 replacements   

n.代替( replacement的名词复数 )；替换的人[物]；替代品；归还

参考例句：

• They infiltrated behind the lines so as to annoy the emery replacements. 他们渗透敌后以便骚扰敌军的调度。 来自辞典例句
• For oil replacements, cheap suddenly looks less of a problem. 对于石油的替代品来说，价格变得无足轻重了。 来自互联网

7 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 densely   

ad.密集地；浓厚地

参考例句：

• A grove of trees shadowed the house densely. 树丛把这幢房子遮蔽得很密实。
• We passed through miles of densely wooded country. 我们穿过好几英里茂密的林地。

9 functionally   

adv.机能上地，官能地

参考例句：

• Objective To explore occlusion reconstruction by computer aided design (CAD) with functionally-generated pathway (FGP). 目的探索借助功能性？记录(functionally-generated pathway,FGP)技术进行口腔固定修复体计算机辅助设计(Computer aided Design,CAD)生理性建？的方法。 来自互联网
• In this respect, the proceeding was functionally similar to a comparative licensing adjudication. 在这一点上，手续在作用上即类似于比较许可证发放的裁断。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法