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REVIEW ARTICLE

3D bioprinting technology for regenerative medicine

applications

*
Dhakshinamoorthy Sundaramurthi, Sakandar Rauf and Charlotte A. E. Hauser
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Laboratory for Nanomedicine, Division of Biological
& Environmental Science & Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Alternative strategies that overcome existing organ transplantation methods are of increasing importance be-
cause of ongoing demands and lack of adequate organ donors. Recent improvements in tissue engineering techniques
offer improved solutions to this problem and will influence engineering and medicinal applications. Tissue engineering
employs the synergy of cells, growth factors and scaffolds besides others with the aim to mimic the native extracellular
matrix for tissue regeneration. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has been explored to create organs for transplanta-
tion, medical implants, prosthetics, in vitro models and 3D tissue models for drug testing. In addition, it is emerging as a
powerful technology to provide patients with severe disease conditions with personalized treatments. Challenges in tis-
sue engineering include the development of 3D scaffolds that closely resemble native tissues. In this review, existing
printing methods such as extrusion-based, robotic dispensing, cellular inkjet, laser-assisted printing and integrated tissue
organ printing (ITOP) are examined. Also, natural and synthetic polymers and their blends as well as peptides that are
exploited as bioinks are discussed with emphasis on regenerative medicine applications. Furthermore, applications of
3D bioprinting in regenerative medicine, evolving strategies and future perspectives are summarized.
Keywords: bioprinting, bioinks, cells, hydrogels, scaffolds, organ transplantation

*Correspondence to: Charlotte A. E. Hauser, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Laboratory for Nanomedi-
cine, Division of Biological & Environmental Science & Engineering (BESE), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Email: char-
lotte.hauser@kaust.edu.sa
Received: March 28, 2016; Accepted: June 17, 2016; Published Online: June 28, 2016
Citation: Sundaramurthi D, Rauf S and Hauser C A E, 2016, 3D bioprinting technology for regenerative medicine applications. In-
ternational Journal of Bioprinting, vol.2(2): 9–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.18063/IJB.2016.02.010.

1. Introduction patient-derived autologous cells and their use as the
R splantation. These 3D tissue analogs can be achieved
primary cell source to develop tissues/organs for tran-
ecent advances in bioprinting technology have
opened up new and exciting opportunities for
by incorporating native cells with suitable biocompat-
the development of patient-specific medical
treatments. The fabrication or printing of biomimetic ible materials using a precise and well-controlled fa-
[1]
brication process . Bioprinted 3D constructs are aimed
tissue structures is a prerequisite for the advancement to mimic the cell density, arrangement, niche and
of emerging technologies such as drug testing, tissue anatomical geometry of the native tissue and hence
engineering, biomimetic sensors and 3D tissue models. can be a promising solution for different regenerative
Due to the rejection problems associated with allo- medicine applications .
[2]
geneic organ transplantation and scarcity of donors, ex A 3D object can be designed and fabricated using 3D
vivo methods are being explored for tissue/organ tran- printing techniques. In 3D bioprinting, a layer-by-
splantation. These methods involve the expansion of layer assembly of inks is printed using computer-aided

3D bioprinting technology for regenerative medicine applications. © 2016 Dhakshinamoorthy Sundaramurthi, et al. This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/),
permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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