Hybrid biomanufacturing systems applied in tissue regeneration

Abstract

Scaffold-based approach is a developed strategy in biomanufacturing, which is based on the use of temporary scaffold that performs as a house of implanted cells for their attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. This strategy strongly depends on both materials and manufacturing processes. However, it is very difficult to meet all the requirements, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength, and promotion of cell-adhesion, using only single material. At present, no single bioprinting technique can meet the requirements for tissue regeneration of all scales. Thus, multi-material and mixing-material scaffolds have been widely investigated. Challenges in terms of resolution, uniform cell distribution, and tissue formation are still the obstacles in the development of bioprinting technique. Hybrid bioprinting techniques have been developed to print scaffolds with improved properties in both mechanical and biological aspects for broad biomedical engineering applications. In this review, we introduce the basic multi-head bioprinters, semi-hybrid and fully-hybrid biomanufacturing systems, highlighting the modifications, the improved properties and the effect on the complex tissue regeneration applications.

Biomaterials / bioinks and extrusion bioprinting

“…Hybrid bioprinting is a combinatorial method for scaffold fabrication that integrates extrusion-based bioprinting with other printing techniques. Such hybrid bioprinting capitalizes on the advantages of extrusion-based bioprinting as well as other techniques to create scaffolds that could not be created by means of one bioprinting technique alone [ 264 , 372 , 373 ]. Integration of extrusion-based bioprinting with electrospinning provides enhanced capacity to produce complex scaffolds with varying scales of strands or fibers [ 372 ].…”

“…Such hybrid bioprinting capitalizes on the advantages of extrusion-based bioprinting as well as other techniques to create scaffolds that could not be created by means of one bioprinting technique alone [ 264 , 372 , 373 ]. Integration of extrusion-based bioprinting with electrospinning provides enhanced capacity to produce complex scaffolds with varying scales of strands or fibers [ 372 ]. While the resolution of extrusion bioprinted strands is limited, electrospinning allows for the fabrication of fine fibers down to the nanometer scale (>200 nm) from polymer solutions or melts [ 374 , 375 ].…”

3D/4D printed bio-piezoelectric smart scaffolds for next-generation bone tissue engineering

“…Liu et al [146] summarized hybrid 3D printing technologies for biological applications and categorized them as follows based on the specific mechanisms involved: (i) basic multi-head biomanufacturing system using multiple printing processes such as materials extrusion or BJ; (ii) semi-hybrid multi-head biomanufacturing system combining pneumatic, piston, and screw-assisted material extrusion processes; (iii) fully-hybrid biomanufacturing systems combining various 3D printing techniques, electrospinning, or post-treatment (shown in figure 8(a)). Recently, several researchers have attempted to utilize these hybrid 3D printing systems to create multi-functional multi-material scaffolds for advanced biological applications.…”

“…(a) Categories of hybrid 3D printing systems, including basic multi-head biomanufacturing system (BMBS), semi-hybrid multi-head biomanufacturing system (SMBS), and fully-hybrid biomanufacturing system (FBS). Reproduced from [146]. CC BY 4.0.…”

Fabrication of fully aligned self-assembled cell-laden collagen filaments for tissue engineering via a hybrid bioprinting process

“…However, normal bioprinting processes frequently require high concentrations of hydrogel bioink to ensure the mechanical stability of 3D bioconstructs with uniquely designed physical cues [ [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] ]. Recently, various bioprinting strategies including extrusion, inkjet, laser-assisted, and vat photopolymerization and electrospinning process were combined into a hybrid bioprinting system to obtain highly complex tissues ( Supplementary Table S1 ) [ [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] , [14] , [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] , [21] , [22] ]. However, this reliance on high concentrations of bioink can inadvertently impede efficient cellular activities, including cell proliferation and differentiation, within the 3D cell construct.…”