3D Bioprinting: Recent Trends and Challenges

Abstract

3D bioprinting is an additive biomanufacturing technology having potential to fast-forward the translational research, as it has the capability to fabricate artificial tissues and organs that closely mimic biological tissues or organs. As an emerging area of research in the field of tissue engineering, 3D bioprinting has scope in the development of implantable tissues and organs, construction of tissue/organ models and high-throughput diseased/cancer models for pharmaceutical and toxicological studies. Further, this area has diversified with the continuous upgradation of 3D bioprinters and biomaterials, which play major roles in the architectural quality and functionality of bioprinted construct. Addressing these technological complexities requires an integrated approach involving expertise from different areas of science and engineering with lateral thinking. In this review, we highlight the recent trends in 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs including recent developments in usage of material, printers and printing technologies. In addition, importance has been given to various target tissues printed using this technology with an emphasis on bioprinted tissue/cancer models.