Using light-based printing, a miniature 3D-printed human lung model was created by Canadian researchers at the University of British Columbia.

The team’s tiny lung creation mimics real human airways including airway-lining cells, connective tissue cells and mini blood vessels.

The structure is printed with a special gel-like material that supports healthy cell growth and behavior. When exposed to cigarette smoke extract, it responded just like real lung tissue — releasing inflammation signals such as IL-6 and IL-8, without harming the cells.

The model also contains features like fibroblasts that move to heal soft tissue and endothelial cells forming vessel-like layers.

It’s a more realistic, customizable platform for studying lung diseases and testing treatments and offers a new tool that could help replace animal testing and improve research on asthma, COPD and more.

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