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International Journal of Bioprinting Application and prospects of 3D printable microgels

Figure 6. Support bath for 3D printing. (A) Printing schematic showing local behavior of the (a) static and (b) disrupted matrix bath material during
printing as well as (c) stabilization of the deposited sacrificial fluid by a solid-like composite hydrogel matrix after printing. After (d) crosslinking, it shows
(e) macrostructural and microstructural features of final construct. (B) Embedded surface printing for solid object sculpting: (a) schematic of sacrificial
material printing including slit to facilitate part harvesting, (b) complete exterior contour of the dumbbell construct defined by a printed sacrificial material
shell, (c) cured hydrogel composite block with embedded object contour, (d) removal of the external composite hydrogel matrix material to recover a solid
sculpted hydrogel object; and schematics and photos of other structures fabricated by solid object sculpting: (e) sculpted brain model based on medical
imaging data and (f) sculpted lattice block with internal channels [123] . Reprinted with permission Compaan AM, Song K, Chai W, et al., 2020, Cross-
linkable microgel composite matrix bath for embedded bioprinting of perfusable tissue constructs and sculpting of solid objects. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces,
12:7855–7868. Copyright 2020 American Chemical Society [123] .
6. Applications of microgels in the field of diverse components coordinately contribute to the formation
biomedicine of functional tissues or organs [6,129] . The cellular populations
of these tissues or organs are closely connected through a
The continuous development of bioinks has made it possible unique extracellular matrix, facilitating the exchange of
for 3D bioprinting to transform from concept validation to material information such as growth factors, hormones, and
clinical application. The concept of on-demand bioprinting of other bioactive molecules within the microenvironment in
tissues (such as blood vessels, nerves, and bone/cartilage) to which the cells reside [130,131] .
complete organs has become an ideal solution to addressing
the shortage of donor organs for regenerative medicine . 6.1. Bone and cartilage tissue
[10]
Natural tissues are composed of various cells, extracellular Various diseases (such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
matrix, growth factors, and bioactive substances. These arthritis) and trauma can result in damage to cartilage,

Volume 9 Issue 5 (2023) 99 https://doi.org/10.18063/ijb.753