From the Guidelines
The use of 3D bioprinting in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine should prioritize the development of functional tissue replacements with high cell viability and retention, while ensuring safety, efficacy, and ethical implementation. When considering the application of 3D bioprinting, it is essential to select appropriate bioinks and cell sources, optimize printing parameters, and ensure post-printing maturation and quality control measures are in place.
- Key considerations include:
- Selecting bioinks composed of biocompatible materials like alginate, gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), or decellularized extracellular matrix, matched to the target tissue's mechanical properties 1
- Carefully selecting cell sources, with primary cells, stem cells, or patient-derived cells being viable options depending on the application
- Optimizing printing parameters, including temperature, pressure, and print speed, to maintain cell viability above 80%
- Ensuring post-printing maturation in bioreactors with appropriate growth factors and mechanical stimulation for functional tissue development
- Regulatory compliance and ethical considerations are also crucial, including informed consent for cell sourcing, avoiding reproductive tissue applications without proper oversight, and ensuring equitable access to resulting therapies 1
- The development of tissue-engineered products should be done in close interaction with regulatory authorities, with a focus on optimizing cell retention and biological activity, as highlighted in the position paper for cardiovascular research 1
- Further refinement of 3D bioprinting strategies, including the testing of three-dimensional printing, is necessary to optimize the biological activity of tissue-engineered products and develop the next generation of products and administration strategies 1
From the Research
Guidelines for 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- The use of 3D bioprinting in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine requires careful consideration of several factors, including the selection of bioinks, bioprinting techniques, and bioreactors 2, 3, 4.
- Bioinks should be formulated to mimic the complex microstructures of biological tissues and accurately control the distribution of cells 4.
- Bioprinting techniques, such as inkjet, laser, and extrusion-based techniques, should be selected based on their ability to produce constructs with the desired mechanical, structural, and biological complexity 3, 4.
- Bioreactors can be used to simulate the fluid mechanical cues, such as fluid shear stress, tension, and compression, that are crucial for tissue development and function in health and disease 4.
Applications of 3D Bioprinting
- 3D bioprinting has been used to engineer a variety of tissues, including skin, cardiac, bone, cartilage, liver, lung, neural, and pancreatic tissue 3.
- 3D bioprinting has also been used in cancer research, drug testing, high-throughput screening (HTS), and organ-on-a-chip models 3, 5.
- The use of 3D bioprinting in regenerative medicine has the potential to solve the crisis of organ shortage by fabricating fully-functional whole organs 5.
Challenges and Future Directions
- Despite the progress made in 3D bioprinting, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed, including vascularization, scalability, and the development of hybrid systems 5, 6.
- Future research should focus on improving the scalability of 3D bioprinting, developing new bioinks with tuneable mechanical and rheological properties, and addressing the ethical, social, and regulatory issues concerning bioprinting 5.
- The use of 4D bioprinting with smart (stimuli-responsive) hydrogels and mechanobiological studies on cell-bioink interaction are also potential futuristic focus areas that would aid in successful clinical translation of this technology 5.