Artificial Blood Vessels Created with Aid of Lightning

Scientists at the Texas A&M University have been looking into a way of building artificial blood vessels, and by this, artificial organs by using lightning bolts. It may be questioned how lightning could possibly help create an object, but, in fact, the high electric discharge from lightning can actually make a series of miniature tunnels or holes in materials. For example, if a block of plastic is electrically charged by gaining or losing electrons, lightning is able to permeate areas all around the plastic block. 

A tap of a nail is being used to produce a Lichtenberg figure.

 In particular, the tunnels created when lightning streaks are applied to plastic blocks are very similar to the features of the capillary system of the body. In the human body, these "tunnels" are actually arteries and vessels. When tunnels are created in this artificial manner, they are quite accurate in the sense that they are the same size as capillaries and are connected internally. Lightning is used in this process because it allows tunnels to be made throughout the block instead of simply at several places on the surface of a block. If made into artificial blood vessels, blood will be able to flow throughout the entire organ. 

In particular, a bolt of lightning allows a similar effect on a plastic block to the result if electrons were trapped inside the plastic block. When electrons travel, they create an electric current, which is what is present in the block. The current does exit the block, causing the plastic to be damaged because of the heat produced by the current. This is what ultimately creates the various tunnels. Scientists replicate this by using a Wimshurst machine or a Van de Graaf generator to create static electricity. This electricity is discharged, causing the plastic to have a pattern of charges. Called a Lichtenberg figure, the ending plastic block with tunnels was originally created in a different process in the eighteenth century. Back in this time, scientist Georg Lichtenberg utilized powdered sulfur and minium to test the process. Powdered sulfur was found to be negatively charged from the friction between it and the container it was set in. Because opposites attract, the negatively charged powdered sulfur attracted to the positive spots on the plastic block surface. The minium, a red powder, was positively charged due to friction as well, and was attracted to the negative spots. This combination allowed hidden features to be revealed in the figures and allowed a better visual to see.

In the past, prolithography, a method used to create computer chips, has been utilized to make these 3D artificial vessels. The technique of using lightning streaks is, in this way, quite efficient as the entire process only spans a couple of seconds. Using this method, artificial vessels are not only less of an expense to make but are also faster. 

However, there is also a potential disadvantage to this process.When each block of plastic is created, the tunnels present inside each are constructed in the same manner, but produce different tunnels. On the other hand, when using prolithography, all the tunnels end up exactly the same. This might be inefficient if certain systems need to be reproduced for various organs. Other scientists argue that artificial organs do not need to be exactly the same. Rather, the organs only need to have several processes in common, such as those to gather nutrients and eliminate waste from the body.

Overall, this is a revolutionary discovery in the world of tissue engineering. Because of this research, scientists will soon be able to approach using implant cells, which can be combined to create vessels, and eventually, organs. The cells would continue growing, and the plastic used would someday degrade, which does not cause harm to the body. However, the process still does involve many risks, and so, it will be implemented in animals after many years. Humans will be tested if the animal test runs successfully. 


http://news.discovery.com/tech/lightning-artificial-blood-vessels.html 
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2008-02/trap-lightning-block 
http://205.243.100.155/frames/lichtenbergs.html