Chapter 8 - Three-dimensional bioprinting of skin tissue equivalents using natural polymers as bioinks for potential applications in wound repair

Abstract

Tissue engineered skin substitute development is a thrust area of research in the field of wound repair since these substitutes have considerable advantages over traditional wound dressings. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has recently become one of the most explored technologies aiming for a full-thickness skin tissue substitute. Owing to the effective and uniform incorporation of cells through an additive-based approach, the development of tissues in intricate detail similar to the anatomy of the skin is possible. While 3D printing was around for quite some time now, the 3D “bio”-printing is relatively new, which means there is no 3D bioprinting skin substitute available in the market yet; however, several exciting exploratory studies are being reported in the literature. One of the intense areas of research within 3D bioprinting is the development of bioinks. Several polymeric formulations, mostly natural polymer–based, are being explored as bioinks incorporating different skin cells for biofabrication of skin tissue equivalents. This chapter focuses on the use of 3D bioprinting as an approach to finding a solution to the development of a functional skin tissue equivalent for wound healing and highlights state-of-the-art reports on different biopolymer bioink formulations. There are promising prospects of this approach in replacing the traditional wound dressings with potential market demand, which are also highlighted in this chapter.