Polymeric Systems for Bioprinting

Abstract

Bioprinting is rapidly being adopted as a major method for fabricating tissue engineering constructs. Through the precise deposition of cell- and bioactive molecule-laden materials, bioprinting offers researchers a means to create biological constructs with enhanced spatial complexity that more closely mimics native tissue. The vast majority of materials used in bioprinting have been polymers due to their suitability toward resembling the cellular environment and the variety of methods available to process polymeric systems in ambient or relatively mild chemical and environmental conditions. In this review, we will discuss in detail the wide variety of natural and synthetic polymers that have been employed as inks in bioprinting. We will review recent bioprinting innovations, such as increasing architectural complexity and cell viability in heterogeneous tissue constructs, which allow for the investigation of biological questions that could not be addressed before. We will also survey nascent fields of study that promise to further advance the development of novel biofabrication technologies in the field, such as 4D bioprinting and the inclusion of nanomaterials. To conclude, we will examine some of the necessary steps that must take place to bring this technology to commercial markets and facilitate its use in clinical therapies.

Bioprinting of Collagen: Considerations, Potentials, and Applications

“…Furthermore, there are also some instances where hydrogels are extruded in gel form during printing; phase separation of the hydrogels, known as syneresis, may occur. [ 221 ] Existing challenges include poor mechanical properties of cell‐laden constructs which are not strong enough for load‐bearing applications and failure to retain shape fidelity in vitro. Without adequate mechanical properties as well as the understanding of the specific collagen hydrogel's gelation characteristics, subsequent additional layers will fuse and contract, leading to the collapse of printed structures.…”

Incorporation of Poly(Itaconic Acid) with Quaternized Thiazole Groups on Gelatin-Based Films for Antimicrobial-Active Food Packaging

“…In addition, biopolymers are well-known renewable source-based materials, which are environmentally benign, with increasing importance for different applications [ 10 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Among the natural polymers available to form films, starch and gelatin appear as potential sources to replace widely used polymers of petrochemical origin [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ].…”

Decellularised scaffolds: just a framework? Current knowledge and future directions

“…53,54 Furthermore, bioprinting aims to print and pattern cells and ECM material in three dimensions to generate structures similar to tissues and organs. 55 An important consideration in bioprinting is that the printing process must be cytocompatible, thus restricting the choice of materials that can operate in an aqueous or aqueous gel environment. Current materials of choice are gelatin, chitosan, alginate, collagen, HA or fibrin among others.…”