Bioprinting is a form of regenerative medicine that uses bioengineering techniques to print functional living tissue. The history of bioprinting began in 1998 with the creation of artificial blood vessels and has advanced to include the printing of multicellular spheroids in 2004. There are three main types of bioprinters: inkjet-assisted, extrusion-assisted, and laser-assisted. Bioprinting uses bio-inks made from natural or synthetic hydrogels and scaffolds, and cells, to print tissue. Applications include reducing animal testing, addressing organ transplant shortages, and regenerating tissues. While progress is being made, fully functional printed organs and overcoming issues like vascularization remain challenges.
2. What is Bioprinting?
A segment of regenerative medicine for
making functional tissue constructs to
replace dysfunctional or diseased tissue.
Bioengineering of tissues/organ using
human cells.
3. History
January 1998: Canadian researchers created
artificial blood vessels by wrapping sheets of
cultured human cells into tubes.
October 1999: University of Minnesota and
Michigan demonstrated direct deposition of
cells in 2 Dimensions.
April 2003: Thomas Boland modifies an ink-jet
printer to use biological materials such as
proteins and bacteria.
March 2004: Gabor Forgacs and his team
develop multicellular spheroids for 3-D
bioprinting.
Dr. Thomas Boland
6. Hydrogel and Scaffold
Synthetic polymers
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) used support material.
Pluronic F127 a tri-block copolymer hydrophobic
sequence.
Polyacryl amide (PAAm) used in ophthalmic operations
Natural polymer
Gelatin, Fibrinogen,
Matrigel (ECM protein mixture),
Collagen type I(ECM), Methylcellulose,
Hyaluronic acid (HA) for connective tissues.
10. Applications
DRUG Screening and animal dependency
Organ Transplant Shortage
Biological Band-Aid
Presurgical Practice for high profile cases
Bioprinted Food Products and Goods
Regeneration of joints and ligaments
11. Progress
1999, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative
Medicine build a scaffold of a human bladder.
2002: Miniature functional kidney capable of filtering
blood and producing urine in an animal model.
2013: 1st Bioprinted Beef Burger for 300000$.
May,2019: Bioprinted alveolar sac gets its fresh
breath.
Sept,2019: Bioprinted human heart size of Rabbit’s
heart.
12. Limitations/Challenges
Complexity of vasculature and tissue interaction.
Viability of printed organ.
Functionality of organs when implanted inside body.
Innervation/Nerve supply of implanted organ.
