The first 3D printed heart with human tissue and vessels was unveiled by scientists who hailed it as a ‘major medical breakthrough’ which could pave the way for transplants without donors.

The tiny organ, currently only the size of a cherry, was engineered from the tissue of patients which was use to create a bio-ink.

The heart produced by researchers at Tel Aviv University is about the size of a rabbit's and is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers.

Researchers must now teach the printed hearts to behave like real ones. The cells are currently able to contract, but do not yet have the ability to pump.

But they hope to be able to transplant the mini-hearts into animals by next year.