Physics problems in bio or bioinspired additive manufacturing

Abstract

Additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, has attracted increasing attention due to the innovations in materials science and manufacturing over recent decades [1]. Recently, innovations in biocompatible materials and biology have enabled the extension of 3D printing techniques into bioadditive manufacturing, which focuses on the fabrication of 3D engineered native-like tissues/organs [2]. Currently, bioadditive manufacturing technologies can be categorized into inkjet-based bioprinting, microextrusion-based bioprinting, digital light processing (DLP) bioprinting, electric field-assisted bioprinting, and fused deposition modeling (FDM), to name a few [3, 4] (Fig. 1). Artificial tissues and organs with delicate structures, such as the heart [5] and liver [6], have been successfully fabricated using various bioadditive manufacturing techniques. Bioadditive manufacturing has also been involved in drug screening due to its high deposition accuracy [7]. However, despite continuous improvements in printing techniques and the broader choice of materials for 3D bioprinting, it remains challenging for 3D bioprinted constructs to be deemed as substitutes for native tissues and organs at the present moment due to their limited printing reliability and functionality [8].