As we have discussed before, the need to procreate is ingrained in the DNA of every single individual on this planet. And just like the males of a species, females too have the subconscious need to bear children and further their legacy. In Fact this feeling is arguably stronger amongst the females, as their maternal instincts have a closer bond to the baby given that their body is the vessel that is used to create the offspring. So when females are faced with the problem of infertility, it could not only affect them mentally but could also have other repercussions for the body. But now, with the help of a new technology from researchers at the Hospital of Chicago, this situation may soon become a thing of the past. 

Through rigorous research and development, for the first time ever, scientists identified and traced the location of structural proteins in a pig ovary. Currently, the researchers are in the process of developing an ink using the proteins that could be used to 3d print artificial or bio prosthetic ovaries. These ovaries could then be implanted within an infertile female to help her bear children. 

This discovery could be a huge breakthrough, especially for women whose fertility has been damaged due to cancer treatments. The general idea of this approach involves the usage of ovarian structural proteins to create a biological scaffold that can harbor the potential eggs and hormone producing cells. Following this, the artificial ovary would get implanted inside the female’s body and respond to natural cues for ovulation, enabling pregnancy. 

The technology used to create such artificial ovaries was even patented in november 2019. And in order to measure the effectiveness of this approach, 3d printed ovaries were even tested out in the mouse model. After implanting the ovaries in female mice, the researchers observed that they regained the ability to become pregnant and eventually bore children. 

Moreover, this new discovery could have further positive implications as the researchers have essentially developed a pipeline for identifying and mapping scaffold proteins at the organ level. If utilised effectively, this method could possibly be used to identify and map structural proteins in other organs as well. 

Since the structural proteins of a pig ovary are very similar to the type of proteins found in humans, creating more complex bio-links for 3d printing an ovary becomes highly possible due to the research potential of this new discovery. Yes, it may not be designed to help all infertile women, but for the ones who have damaged ovaries such as early cancer survivors, this could be the only way to finally have children. Couple this with the method’s expandability to possibly treat other organs, and it becomes clear that this could be the first step towards the start of a medical revolution.