Chapter 8 - Bioprinting of hydrogels for tissue engineering and drug screening applications

Abstract

In tissue engineering, the 3-dimensional (3D) bioprinting method that enables the production of 3D structures by combining bioinks and cells has become one of the most promising technique. Over the last few years, 3D cell culture models gained importance in the development of disease model and drug development studies. The successful production of the 3D structures by 3D bioprinting mostly depends on the properties of the bioink to be used. Hydrogels, which are natural or synthetic polymers, are generally preferred as bioink materials with their high swelling ability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and easy gelation ability. The convenience of hydrogels for varied bioprinting applications make them proper bioink materials for bioprinting of artificial tissues, tumor models, and tissue grafts. Bioprinting of functional tissues is successfully performed for years, and hydrogels are utilized as bioink in bone, vascular, neural, cartilage, cardiac, skin tissue engineering, and drug screening. In this chapter, bioprinting methodology, bioinks, hydrogel bioinks, and their applications are discussed in detail.