---
title: "New Video Shows 3D Printed Lung “Breathing”"
description: "## First Breaths"
date: "2019-05-06"
modified: "2019-05-06"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/video-3d-printed-lung-breathing"
categories:
  - "3D Printing"
  - "Future Materials"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "3d printing"
  - "medicine"
  - "the digest"
---

# New Video Shows 3D Printed Lung “Breathing”

![Scientists figured out how to 3D print a functional "lung" made of inflatable air sacs that can oxygenate blood just like a real lung.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/video-3d-printed-lung-breathing.png>)
*\<em\>Image: Rice University\</em\>*

## First Breaths

Scientists just took a major step forward towards 3D printed organs — with a new lung-like system full of air sacs can expand and contract, filling the same biological role as our lungs do by pumping oxygen into blood.

Bioprinted organs could [someday help people](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-3d-print-muscular-tissue-space>) who are waiting and sometimes dying on the organ transplant waitlist. In [research published](<https://science.sciencemag.org/content/364/6439/458>) in the journal *Science* last week, the team behind the new printing technique made a similar device and successfully grafted it into mice with injured livers.

## In And Out

The 3D printed lung can be seen expanding and contracting, oxygenating blood as it flows past its bulbous transparent air sacs [in a video](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0rIP_u1JPQ>) published by *Seeker* on Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0rIP\_u1JPQ

## Biological Infrastructure

3D printing blood vessels and other vasculature has remained an elusive challenge for scientists — some teams have even [outsourced the endeavor](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-3d-print-muscular-tissue-space>) to the International Space Station, where the zero-gravity environment means that small tubes are less likely to collapse under their own weight as they're being printed.

Per the research, this new lung was printed down here on Earth, suggesting that the new bioprinting technique and materials could help us get to a point where people in need of [new organs](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-agencies-treat-astronaut-injuries-3d-printing>) only need to wait as long as it takes to print one out.

**More on 3D bioprinting:** *[These Scientists Are 3D-Printing New Body Parts for Athletes](<https://futurism.com/neoscope/scientists-3d-printed-tissues-athletes>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)