Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) printing of human tissues and organ has been an exciting research topic in the past three decades. However, existing technological and biological challenges still require a significant amount of research. The present review highlights these challenges and discusses their potential solutions such as mapping and converting a human organ onto a 3D virtual design, synchronizing the virtual design with the printing hardware. Moreover, the paper discusses in details recent advances in formulating bio-inks and challenges in tissue construction with or without scaffold. Next, the paper reviews fusion processes effecting vascular cells and tissues. Finally, the paper deliberates the feasibility of organ printing with state-of-the-art technologies.
Highlights
The invention of the printing press changed the course of human history
Precise positioning of the print head plays a crucial role for the additive layer-by-layer construction of a 3D object
Li et al developed a bio-ink materials for constructing vascular channels using a combination of gelatin/alginate/chitosan/ fibrinogen hydrogels as the supporting materials and rat primary hepatocytes (ADSCs) cells cross linked with thrombin, CaCl2, Na5P3O10 and glutardialdehyde [62]
Summary
The invention of the printing press changed the course of human history. The disruptive technology of printing text and images impacted society globally, acting as media for education, religion, politics, language, and culture [1]. Charles Hull first introduced in the late 1980 three-dimensional (3D) printing through the so-called stereo lithography technology, its significance only started to materialise at the turn of the 21st century [2,3]. The processing stage includes bio-ink preparation, clinical cell sorters (e.g. Celution, Cytori therapeutics), cell propagation bioreactors (e.g. Aastrom Bioscience), and cell differentiators to construct the desired biological structures. The postprocessing stage may include perfusion bioreactors, cell encapsulators and a set of bio-monitoring systems [7]. Each of these auxiliary machines has their own important roles for scaling up bio-printing. Mironov et al proposed a bio-reactor that is believed to maintain fragile tissue construct with sufficient time for post processing of tissue fusion, maturation and remodelling [8]
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