Wednesday's report is "a nice advancement, " said Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, who wasn't involved in the new research.

WSJ: Scientists use 3-D printing to help grow an ear

"We were able to create patients' own tissue that actually belongs there, " said Dr. Anthony Atala, lead author of the study and director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

CNN: Scientists 'seed' cells, make new organs