Question

Another limitation of donor organs is that they are not always a good fit for the patient in need. The organ has to be compatible with the patient’s blood type and body tissue so that person’s body won’t reject the organ. And in some cases the size and weight of the organ have to be suitable for the patient as well.​Box ends

Fortunately, scientists are working on an alternative to donor organ transplants that would use a special type of 3-D printer called a bioprinter. These machines can already make living tissue that is compatible with a patient’s. Now companies worldwide are racing to develop ways to bioprint entire human organs, and a team of scientists in China has taken an important step toward this goal.

A 3-D printer making a mold of a human ear.A 3-D printer making a mold of a human ear. The ear mold is made of woven white strands and sits on a round dish. There is an opening in the center of the ear mold.
This 3-D printer at Wake Forest University is printing a framework for a human ear.


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Activity

Reread the part of the passage in the box. What is the purpose of this paragraph?

to outline the process of transplanting organs from a donor to a patient

to argue that people should stop using donor organs

to explain the problem that donor organs don’t work well for everyone

to compare different organs in the human body

Answer 1

to explain the problem that donor organs don’t work well for everyone

(The paragraph describes compatibility and size/weight issues that can make donor organs a poor fit.)