Bioprinting in Microgravity

Abstract

Bioprinting as an extension of 3D printing offers capabilities for printing tissues and organs for application in biomedical engineering. Conducting bioprinting in space, where the gravity is zero, can enable new frontiers in tissue engineering. Fabrication of soft tissues, which usually collapse under their own weight, can be accelerated in microgravity conditions as the external forces are eliminated. Furthermore, human colonization in space can be supported by providing critical needs of life and ecosystems by 3D bioprinting without relying on cargos from Earth, e.g., by development and long-term employment of living engineered filters (such as sea sponges−known as critical for initiating and maintaining an ecosystem). This review covers bioprinting methods in microgravity along with providing an analysis on the process of shipping bioprinters to space and presenting a perspective on the prospects of zero-gravity bioprinting.

Nanomaterials-Based Hybrid Bioink Platforms in Advancing 3D Bioprinting Technologies for Regenerative Medicine

“…Hua et al developed a fluid bath-assisted methodology employed in 3D bioprinting for numerous biomedical applications . Hybrid bioink utilized in the realm of 3D bioprinting exhibits considerable potential in the field of space medicine, as it tackles the health impediments encountered by astronauts during protracted space expeditions attributable to microgravity and radiation exposure . Tissue chips and organ-on-chip systems present viable avenues for scrutinizing the intricate biological ramifications of spaceflight, while the application of 3D bioprinting confers patient-specific tissue engineering and pharmacological testing capabilities, thereby mitigating expenses and enhancing the efficacy of transplantations …”

3D-Printed Microrobots: Translational Challenges

“…Three-dimensional printing is an additive manufacturing process that uses sequential layer-by-layer material deposition and digital control with predefined computer-aided design (CAD) models to build 3D structures [ 1 , 2 ]. Three-dimensional printing has constantly evolved to create complex 3D structures with design flexibility, significant material reductions, and optimal manufacturing durations since its inception in the 1980s as the stereolithography (SLA) method [ 3 ].…”

Direct Writing of a Titania Foam in Microgravity for Photocatalytic Applications

“…Additive manufacturing in microgravity has been receiving increased consideration as an avenue for in-space fabrication of, for example, surgical instruments and scaffold-free engineered biomimetic tissues . Direct Foam Writing (DFW) is a method of additive manufacturing that has been demonstrated in a microgravity environment with a titania foam .…”