In a Journalof Orthopedic Research study, scientists used 3D printing torepair bone in the joints of mini-pigs, an advance that may help to treatosteoarthritis in humans.

Specifically, the investigators used 3Dprinting with a needle-array to generate articular cartilage and subchondralbone using constructs composed of mesenchymal stem cells derived from fattissue. Printed constructs were implanted into osteochondral defects created inthe knees of six mini-pigs. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imagingtests revealed significant repair within the defects at three and six monthspost-implantation.

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