Various methods of 3D and bio-printing

Abstract

There is growing need for synthetic tissue replacement materials designed in a way that mimic complex structure of tissues and organs. Among various methods for fabrication of implants (scaffolds), 3D printing is very powerful technique because it enables creation of scaffolds with complex internal structures and high resolution, based on medical data sets. This method allows fabrication of scaffolds with desired macro- and micro-porosity and fully inter- connected pore network. Rapid development of 3D printing technologies has enabled various applications from the creation of anatomical training models for complex surgical procedures to the printing of tissue engineering constructs. The aim of current investigations was to develop compatible printers and materials (bioinks) to obtain biomimetic scaffolds, which allow printing of living cells without significant loss of cell viability. The advanced level of such printing assumes “in situ” printing, i.e. printing cells and biomaterials directly onto or in a patient that will reduce recovery time.

Danas postoji sve veća potreba za sintetičkim materijalima za zamenu tkiva dizajniranih na način koji imitira složenu strukturu tkiva i organa. Među različitim metodama proizvodnje implantata (skafolda), 3D štampanje je veoma moćna tehnika jer omogućava kreiranje skafolda sa složenim unutrašnjim strukturama i visokom rezolucijom, zasnovanim na medicinskim skupovima podataka. Ova metoda omogućava proizvodnju skafolda sa željenom makroporoznošću i mikroporoznošću i potpuno povezanom mrežom pora. Brzi razvoj tehnologija 3D štampanja omogućio je različite primene – od kreiranja anatomskih modela za uvežbavanje složenih hirurških procedura do štampanja konstrukata za tkivno inženjerstvo. Cilj tekućih istraživanja je razvoj kompatibilnih štampača i materijala (bio-mastila) za dobijanje biomimičnih skafolda, koji omogućavaju štampanje živih ćelija bez značajnog gubitka njihove vijabilnosti. Napredni nivo takvog štampanja pretpostavlja štampanje in situ, tj. štampanje ćelija i biomaterijala direktno na pacijentu ili u pacijenta, što će smanjiti vreme oporavka.