NovoGen is a proprietary form of 3D printing

3D printing

3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing technology where a three dimensional object is created by laying down successive layers of material. 3D printers are generally faster, more affordable, and easier to use than other additive manufacturing technologies. However, the term 3D printing is...

 technology that allows scientists to assemble living tissue cells into a desired pattern. When combined with an extracellular matrix

Extracellular matrix

In biology, the extracellular matrix is the extracellular part of animal tissue that usually provides structural support to the animal cells in addition to performing various other important functions. The extracellular matrix is the defining feature of connective tissue in animals.Extracellular...

, the cells can be arranged into complex structures, such as organs

Organ (anatomy)

In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in structural unit to serve a common function. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues . The main tissue is the one that is unique for the specific organ. For example, main tissue in the heart is the myocardium, while sporadic are...

. Designed by Organovo, the NovoGen technology has been successfully integrated by Invetech with a production printer that is intended to help develop processes for tissue repair and organ development.