This is a see-through kidney, created by researchers in Munich.

And scientists here say the technology behind it could pave the way to print three-dimensional body parts for transplants.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GROUP LEADER AT MUNICH'S LUDWIG MAXIMILIAN'S INSTITUTE FOR STROKE AND DEMENTIA RESEARCH (ISD), ALI ERTUERK, SAYING: ''We are the only ones in the world having technology to make the whole human organ transparent and scan them with a laser at single cellular solution.

That means we know in a human organ where every single cell is located.

And then we can actually replicate exactly the same, using 3D bioprinting technology and it becomes really like an organ.

Therefore, I guess we are much closer to generating a real human organ than all others in the world." Ertuerk says that until now 3D-printed organs lacked detailed cellular structures, because they were based on images from computer tomography or MRI machines.

But these researchers use a solvent to make the organ transparent, before scanning it with lasers in a microscope - allowing them to capture every single cell in the structure.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GROUP LEADER AT MUNICH'S LUDWIG MAXIMILIAN'S INSTITUTE FOR STROKE AND DEMENTIA RESEARCH (ISD), ALI ERTUERK, SAYING: So we can see cancer cells.

In addition, we can also see treatment.

If there is a drug that is supposed to treat cancer that means it should find the cancer cell and it should kill, right?

So now because we can see the cells we can really also see the drugs, whether they are there on top of the cancer cell or not, right?

So for the first time we have a very close look at this drug, cancer cell interaction.

And now I think we are in a position to develop much better cancer drugs because we know what works and what doesn't work, right?" The team plan to start by creating a bioprinted pancreas over the next two or three years.

And hopefully a kidney within the next six.

The researchers will first test to see whether animals can survive with the bioprinted organs.

Clinical trials could start within 5-10 years.