--- title: "Japanese Scientists 3D Print Lab-Grown Wagyu Steak" description: "Scientists at Osaka University in Japan have managed to print lab-grown steak that greatly resembles products made from Wagyu cattle." date: "2021-08-25" modified: "2021-08-25" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/lab-grown-wagyu-steak" categories: - "3D Printing" - "Future Materials" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "Japan" - "lab grown meat" - "the digest" --- # Japanese Scientists 3D Print Lab-Grown Wagyu Steak ![Scientists at Osaka University in Japan have managed to print lab-grown steak that greatly resembles products made from Wagyu cattle.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* ## Lab Wagyu Scientists at Osaka University in Japan have managed to print lab-grown steak that they say greatly resembles products made from the world-renowned breeds of Wagyu beef cattle — an environmentally conscious and sustainable alternative to a genuine delicacy. The team harvested two types of stem cells from Wagyu cows, incubated them, and then converted them into muscle, fat, and blood vessel cells, as detailed in a [new paper]() published in the journal *Nature Communications*. The end product is a three-dimensional stack, five by 10 millimeters in size, of high fat content steak that features the intricate marbling of Wagyu beef. "Using the histological structure of Wagyu beef as a blueprint, we have developed a 3D-printing method that can produce tailor-made complex structures, like muscle fibers, fat, and blood vessels," said lead author Dong-Hee Kang in [a statement](). ## Custom Steaks The scientists say that the process could even be used to create fully customized pieces of Wagyu steak, a dream for any meat lover willing to give lab-grown beef a try. "By improving this technology, it will be possible to not only reproduce complex meat structures, such as the beautiful sashi of Wagyu beef, but to also make subtle adjustments to the fat and muscle components," senior author Michiya Matsusaki said. The lab-grown meat industry is starting to morph into a fully fledged commercial enterprise, with the [first-ever lab grown meat factory]() opening up in Israel in June. In fact, the Osaka University researchers aren't alone in wanting to develop lab Wagyu. Orbillion Bio, a Silicon Valley startup, [recently demoed]() similar exotic meats including a Wagyu meatloaf and elk. The advantages of culturing meat in a lab are considerable: not only does it sidestep animal cruelty concerns and potentially impact the environment far less, but customers could look forward to meat that perfectly captures their personal preferences. **READ MORE:** [Raising the steaks: First 3D-bioprinted structured Wagyu beef-like meat unveiled]() \[Osaka University\] **More on lab-grown meat:** *[The World’s First Lab Grown Meat Factory Just Opened Up]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()