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Dec 2, 2025, 13:47

Cristiana DeMusis: 3D Printed Mini-Placentas for Early Research

Cristiana DeMusis, Postdoctoral Researcher at Arterra Bioscience SpA, shared a post on LinkedIn about a paper by Claire Richards et al. published in Nature Communications:

“This fantastic work was published last September in the prestigious journal Nature Communications!
Researchers at the University of Sydney have successfully reproduced mini-placentas using a 3D printer, providing an extraordinary tool for studying placental abnormalities and complications during the first trimester of pregnancy.

The researchers overcame the extreme variability of animal-derived matrices (e.g., Matrigel), which influence cell differentiation into organoids and contribute to their extreme variability. Replacing these gels with polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is highly modulable in consistency, they created ideal conditions for trophoblast cell differentiation. This innovation was combined with the use of a 3D printer, which precisely positioned live trophoblast cells to direct the development of organoids that recapitulate the site of maternal-fetal exchange.

The researchers also tested inflammatory molecules in the models to assess their impact on the development of early abnormalities.

3D printing is currently one of the most cutting-edge tools in research laboratories aiming to develop physiologically relevant and highly reproducible in vitro models, capable of replacing animal models!”

Title: Matrix directs trophoblast differentiation in a bioprinted organoid model of early placental development

Authors: Claire Richards, Hao Chen, Matthew O’Rourke, Ashley Bannister, Grace Owen, Alexander Volkerling, Arnab Ghosh, Catherine A. Gorrie, David Gallego-Ortega, Amy L. Bottomley, Matthew P. Padula, Kristine C. McGrath, Louise Cole, Philip M. Hansbro, Lana McClements

Read the full article

Cristiana DeMusis