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Timashev and Mironov
the first Russian laser-assisted bioprinter BioDrop alternative conceptual and experimental advance
and initiated studies on fabrication of tissue- in tissue engineering. However, implementation
engineered constructs using it for their further of magnetic levitation on Earth requires the use of
clinical applications. This bioprinter has the same relatively toxic paramagnetic medium that, in most
advantages as foreign setups. Taking into account cases, contains gadolinium salts. The magnetic
that there is only one commercial laser-assisted levitational bioassembly under the conditions of
bioprinter on the global market, it can become a space microgravity can be implemented at low
good alternative after its commercialization. non-toxic concentrations of gadolinium salts. A
new magnetic bioassembler has been designed,
2.3 Bioprinting of functional and vascularized developed, and certified for life space research.
animal organ To the best of our knowledge, 3D tissue constructs

st
The best possible demonstration of functionality have been biofabricated for the 1 time in space
of a 3D bioprinter is its capacity to bioprint under microgravity from tissue spheroids consisted
functional and vascularized 3D tissues and organs. of human chondrocytes using magnetic levitational
We define bioprinting in more narrow sense as an bioassembly at low non-toxic concentrations
[10]
additive biofabrication of 3D tissues and organ of paramagnetic medium . Bioassembled 3D
constructs using tissue spheroids as building tissue constructs demonstrated good viability and
blocks. In this approach, the self-assembling advanced stages of tissue spheroid fusion processes.
properties of tissue spheroids have been explored. These data strongly suggest that scaffold-free,
The endocrine organs such as the thyroid gland, label-free, and nozzle-free formative biofabrication
a relatively simple endocrine organ without using magnetic fields is a feasible alternative to
complicated ductal system is more suitable for traditional scaffold-based approaches. It opens a
testing using the proposed bioprinting technology. new perspective avenue of research which could
The 3D bioprinting of a functional vascularized significantly advance tissue engineering. Magnetic
mouse thyroid gland construct from embryonic levitational bioassembly of 3D tissue constructs
tissue spheroids as a proof of concept has been in space can also advance space life science and
[10]
recently reported . The thyroid tissue has been space regenerative medicine . It is another
[9]
generated from thyroid spheroids and allantoic impressive example of important contribution of
spheroids as a source of thyrocytes and endothelial Russian bioprinting research community which
cells. The closely placed embryonic tissue capitalized on strong existing Russian expertise in
[11]
spheroids fused into a single vascularized tissue space research .
construct. Radiatively ablated mice were used as 3 Education and training bioprintists in Russia
an animal model of thyroid gland hypofunction.
The cultured bioprinted construct was functional However, as bioprinting is developing and there
as it could normalize blood thyroxine levels and is an increasing demand for specialists with
body temperature after grafting under the kidney multidisciplinary background, new educational
capsule of hypothyroid mice . Bioprinting of and training programs focused on bioprinting and
[9]
the functional vascularized mouse thyroid gland related fields have been appearing. This mostly
construct represents an important milestone becomes possible after the foundation of first two
and impressive advance in the development of institutes for regenerative medicine in two biggest
bioprinting technology. and recognized universities (Sechenov University

2.4 Bioprinting in space and Lomonosov Moscow State University) in
2016. For instance, Institute for Regenerative
Magnetic levitational bioassembly of 3D tissue Medicine of the Sechenov University launched
constructs represents a novel rapidly emerging a new discipline called the “Introduction to
scaffold-free and label-free approach as well as Regenerative Medicine” for medical students in

International Journal of Bioprinting (2020)–Volume 6, Issue 3 3