Chapter 11 - Assessing Perfusion Using 3D Bioprinting

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an emerging and promising technology that is being used in the field of tissue engineering to study biological tissue constructs. A central issue with tissue engineering has been the inability to adequately perfuse the fabricated tissue, thus limiting their thickness, morphology, and overall size. A promising solution to this issue is the use of 3D bioprinting to generate prevascularized tissue constructs in vitro. Recent advances in 3D bioprinting methodologies have enabled researchers to fabricate in vitro vascularized tissue constructs of greater sizes, thicknesses, and complexities. These 3D bioprinted tissues have important clinical applications for use as tissue replacements and in medical research models, although these potential applications are largely proof-of-concept at the moment. In the future, improved bioprinting methods will enable faster fabrication of vascularized tissues with greater resolution and biological complexity, enabling these tissues to provide and assess perfusion within a clinical context.