Bioprinting

3D bioprinting has revolutionized tissue engineering and regenerative medicine by building functional tissue constructs precisely layer-by-layer. This novel approach integrates biomaterials, bioactive molecules, and cells to replicate native tissue architecture. Among the many bioprinting strategies, three dominant trends have emerged: inkjet-based, extrusion-based, and laser-assisted bioprinting.

Inkjet Bioprinting operates by jetting bio-ink droplets through thermal, piezoelectric, or acoustic actuation. Its non-contact, high-resolution design supports rapid and accurate cell placement. While it is cost-effective and versatile, it is also limited by factors like the limited range of bioink viscosity, potential nozzle clogging, and shear stress. Its applications range from skin regeneration to neural tissue modeling.

Extrusion Bioprinting is most typical due to its ability of being able to deal with a huge viscosity range. It expels continuous streams of bioink with pneumatic or mechanical action. Although it enables high structural integrity and multi material printing, poor resolution with low cell viability due to shear stress is exhibited by it. It is used profusely for creating huge tissue constructs such as bone, cartilage, and cardiovascular tissue.

Laser-Assisted Bioprinting uses a laser pulse to translate bioink droplets from a donor substrate to a receiver. This method avoids clogging, enabling high-resolution patterning of cells and high-density bioinks with ease. However, it is more expensive and technologically challenging. It's particularly valuable in applications requiring high cell viability and precise cell positioning.

The fabrication and design methods of 3D bioprinting are just as significant as the printing processes. They include direct, indirect, and hybrid printing strategies, along with pre-, intra-, and post-crosslinking steps. The printability and cell viability are governed by material properties of viscosity, surface chemistry, and crosslinking capacity.

Bioprinting has demonstrated tremendous potential in regenerating a wide range of tissues and organs, including skin, bone, cartilage, liver, neural, and cardiovascular systems. There is still much to be addressed, particularly in full vascularization, optimization of bioink formulation, and long-term integration with host tissue. With continued interdisciplinary advancements, 3D bioprinting holds the promise of providing fully functional, implantable organs in the near future.

References:

Tripathi, S., Mandal, S. S., Bauri, S., & Maiti, P. (2022). 3D bioprinting and its innovative

approach for biomedical applications. MedComm, 4(1), e194.

https://doi.org/10.1002/mco2.194​PMC+1PubMed+1

(Authors not provided). (2024). Advancements in tissue and organ 3D bioprinting.

Materials & Design, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2024.172307

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