By now we're all aware of 3D printing's prowess. It can create almost anything, and its potential is tremendous. One San Diego based startup recently discovered it can even generate a slice of a functioning, long lasting liver by printing layers of living cells.

The researchers at Organovo were able to create a pice of liver that operated like a regular healthy liver. It filtered out toxins, drugs and kept in nutrients for up to 40 days.

The 3D-printed liver slices showed a normal reaction to acetaminophen and other drugs, suggesting that it functions on par with a normal human liver.

It may not be ready for human transplant just yet, but it looks like we're really getting there. The challenge is to build a full grown liver containing tiny networks of blood vessels to stay healthy.

Still, even millimeter thick mini portions of liver could potentially help patients who don't require a full organ transplant.

Organovo is planning on using its liver slices in the 3D Human Liver Project in 2014. It will test the human tissue response in drug candidates to provide more accurate results for research.

For now, we'll have to wait for when this becomes viable.

Organovo, via LiveScience