Nanotechnological Strategies for Biofabrication of Human Organs

Rodrigo A Rezende,Vladimir Kasyanov,Xuejun Wen,Vladimir Mironov,Frederico David Pereira,Jorge Vicente Lopes De Silva,Fábio De Souza Azevedo

doi:10.1155/2012/149264

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a rapidly emerging technology dealing with so-called nanomaterials which at least in one dimension have size smaller than 100 nm. One of the most potentially promising applications of nanotechnology is in the area of tissue engineering, including biofabrication of 3D human tissues and organs. This paper focused on demonstrating how nanomaterials with nanolevel size can contribute to development of 3D human tissues and organs which have macrolevel organization. Specific nanomaterials such as nanofibers and nanoparticles are discussed in the context of their application for biofabricating 3D human tissues and organs. Several examples of novel tissue and organ biofabrication technologies based on using novel nanomaterials are presented and their recent limitations are analyzed. A robotic device for fabrication of compliant composite electrospun vascular graft is described. The concept of self-assembling magnetic tissue spheroids as an intermediate structure between nano- and macrolevel organization and building blocks for biofabrication of complex 3D human tissues and organs is introduced. The design of in vivo robotic bioprinter based on this concept and magnetic levitation of tissue spheroids labeled with magnetic nanoparticles is presented. The challenges and future prospects of applying nanomaterials and nanotechnological strategies in organ biofabrication are outlined.

Highlights

Biofabrication may be defined as an application principle of engineering and information sciences for automated robotic bioassembly of living 3D human tissue and organs [1,2,3]
We are talking about certain attempts of using nanoparticles in bioprinting process [50]. These attempts are still limited to incorporating nanoparticles in bioprintable hydrogels [50]. As it was proposed in our previous review publication using magnetic force and specially fabricated magnetic tissue spheroids could eventually lead to the development of a bioprinter based on principles of magnetic levitation [15]
Bioprinter can be loaded with three variant of tissue spheroids: (i) free tissue spheroids; (ii) tissue spheroids encapsulated in hydrogel; and (iii) tissue spheroids encaged into lockyballs or miniscaffold (Figure 6)

Summary

Introduction

Biofabrication may be defined as an application principle of engineering and information sciences for automated robotic bioassembly of living 3D human tissue and organs [1,2,3]. The history of technology development teaches us that one of the important principles that contribute to the emergence of a new technology is the creative application of knowledge from other disciplines outside the narrow domain of an existing technology It is a well-established fact that robotization and automation help to transform emerging promising technologies into economically feasible industries. The review of already existing and emerging approaches can provide interesting insights on probably the most important and nontrivial question on the interface of nanotechnology and tissue engineering: how employment of nanomaterials can enable biofabrication of human organs on macrolevel?. This paper is focused on demonstrating how recent advances in application of nanomaterials in tissue engineering can enable robotic and automated biofabrication of 3D human tissues and organs. Challenges and future prospects of application of nanomaterials in tissue engineering and nanotechnological strategies in organ biofabrication will be outlined

Nanofibers

Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology and Organ Printing

Conclusion and Future Perspectives