A new study by North Carolina State University showed a reproducible way to study cell communication between different types of plant cells through bioprints, so they can create the best crop varieties that can exist under any circumstances.
Researchers bioprintized arabidopsis thaliana cells and soybeans to see if plant cells would live after bioprinting and how long. The scientists are also interested in how they acquire and change their identity and functions.
"The color of the plant has many different types of cells with specialized functions," noted researcher Lisa Van den Brook. "There are also different sets of expressable genes, some of which are specific to each cell. We wanted to know what happens after bioprinting living cells and putting them into the created environment."
The 3D bioprinting process of plant cells is mechanically similar to printing with ink or plastic, with some changes.
"Instead of 3D seals with ink or plastic, we use "bioveryl", living plant cells," noted Van den Brook. "The mechanics of both processes are the same, but there are several notable differences for plant cells: a ultraviolet filter to maintain environmental sterility and several printing heads for simultaneous printing by different biodarnels."
Living plant cells without cage walls, or protoplastics, have bioprinted with nutrients, growth hormones, and a clot called agarosa, an algae-based compound.
Scientists survived 40 percent of individual soy embryo cells, and they were resistant to climate change — heat, drought, and too much water.