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The arrival of commercial bioprinters – Towards 3D bioprinting revolution!

Figure 3. Growth in commercial bioprinting companies over the years
with a partnership with a client who has a tissue/organ partnered with Invetech (Australia) to launch their
model of interest. All these companies are based on bioprinting system-Novo Gen MMX Bioprinter™ in
their unique value proposition of providing bioprinting 2009.
services or partnerships for manufacturing of functional Organovo had their first breakthrough in 2010 when
tissues. In the following section 2.2, we have highlighted working with a grant from National Institutes of Health
all the bioprinting companies (in alphabetical order) (NIH); the company successfully bioprinted fully
[59]
which are currently in operation to our knowledge. The cellular blood vessels using only primary human cells .
detailed specifications of printer dimensions, nozzle Organovo’s ExVive™ 3D Bioprinted Human Liver
diameter, build volume, resolution of printing, materials Tissue Models debuted in 2014. The tissues demonstrate
that can be printed, additional interesting features histological and functional similarity to the native liver
have been duly summarized in a table (Table 2). High- with consistent expression of albumin, ATP and CYP3A4
resolution images of these printers have been included activity up to 28 days [31] . The tissue model has been
in Figures 4–6 (courtesy of the companies). We have used to demonstrate the clinical effect of drugs such as
also included a chronological order of important events/ Valproic acid and Monocrotaline . In 2016, Organovo
[60]
technological advancements in the field of bioprinting launched ExVive™ Human Kidney Tissue, a fully 3D
(Figure 7) which shows the tremendous progress made bioprinted human tissue consisting of an apical layer
just under two decades. Lastly, we have also summarized of polarized primary renal proximal tubule epithelial
the current challenges and future innovations which cells (RPTECs), supported by a collagen IV-rich
could be integrated with a bioprinter. We hope this tubulointerstitial interface of primary renal fibroblasts
review will benefit uninitiated researchers who want and endothelial cells. ExVive™ Human Kidney Tissue
to venture into the exciting and revolutionary world of exhibits in vivo like barrier function, expression of renal
bioprinting as well as those experienced researchers who transporters and secretion of important enzyme gmma-
may not be aware of the sheer number of the companies glutamyltransferase (GGT) [43] . This bioprinted kidney
in bioprinting. tissue when exposed to the drug Cisplatin releases

2.1 the case Study of the industry Pioneer- kidney injury biomarkers as well as depicts transporter-
Organovo dependent (OCT2) drug uptake.
Apart from commercial tissues, Organovo also offers
In 2003, Boland et al. patented the first ink-jet tech- two kinds of partnerships: custom tissue partnerships
nology for printing viable cells. The team subsequently (co-develop in vitro tissues for drug screening, disease
secured a US$ 5 million National Science Foundation modelling and therapy) as well as technology access
(NSF) grant [59] which led to their first major patent on partnerships (access to their NovoGen Bioprinter to
TM
Novo Gen MMX Bioprinter™ (Figure 5B) platform experts on a specific tissue/disease model). To date,
soon after in 2005. The first 3D bioprinting company, Organovo has inked significant multi-year collaborations
Organovo came into existence in 2007 [59] . Organovo with Merck (drug screening) and with world’s largest
[61]
6 International Journal of Bioprinting (2018)–Volume 4, Issue 2