3D Printing Technologies for Tissue Engineering

Author(s):  
Weibin Lin ◽  
Qingjin Peng

Tissue engineering (TE) integrates methods of cells, engineering and materials to improve or replace biological functions of native tissues or organs. 3D printing technologies have been used in TE to produce different kinds of tissues. Human tissues have intricate structures with the distribution of a variety of cells. For this reason, existing methods in the construction of artificial tissues use universal 3D printing equipment or some simple devices, which is hard to meet requirements of the tissue structure in accuracy and diversity. Especially for soft tissue organs, a professional bio-3D printer is required for theoretical research and preliminary trial. Based on review of the exiting 3D printing technologies used in TE, special requirements of fabricating soft tissues are identified in this research. The need of a proposed bio-3D printer for producing artificial soft tissues is discussed. The bio-3D printer suggested consists of a pneumatic dispenser, a temperature controller and a multi-nozzle changing system.

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 336
Author(s):  
Sven Pantermehl ◽  
Steffen Emmert ◽  
Aenne Foth ◽  
Niels Grabow ◽  
Said Alkildani ◽  
...  

The use of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies is a relatively young research area in modern medicine. This technology offers a fast and effective way of producing implants, tissues, or entire organs individually adapted to the needs of a patient. Today, a large number of different 3D printing technologies with individual application areas are available. This review is intended to provide a general overview of these various printing technologies and their function for medical use. For this purpose, the design and functionality of the different applications are presented and their individual strengths and weaknesses are explained. Where possible, previous studies using the respective technologies in the field of tissue engineering are briefly summarized.


Chemistry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-181
Author(s):  
Joyita Sarkar ◽  
Swapnil C. Kamble ◽  
Nilambari C. Kashikar

Three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques have revolutionized the field of tissue engineering. This is especially favorable to construct intricate tissues such as liver, as 3D printing allows for the precise delivery of biomaterials, cells and bioactive molecules in complex geometries. Bioinks made of polymers, of both natural and synthetic origin, have been very beneficial to printing soft tissues such as liver. Using polymeric bioinks, 3D hepatic structures are printed with or without cells and biomolecules, and have been used for different tissue engineering applications. In this review, with the introduction to basic 3D printing techniques, we discuss different natural and synthetic polymers including decellularized matrices that have been employed for the 3D bioprinting of hepatic structures. Finally, we focus on recent advances in polymeric bioinks for 3D hepatic printing and their applications. The studies indicate that much work has been devoted to improvising the design, stability and longevity of the printed structures. Others focus on the printing of tissue engineered hepatic structures for applications in drug screening, regenerative medicine and disease models. More attention must now be diverted to developing personalized structures and stem cell differentiation to hepatic lineage.


Author(s):  
Jorge A. Vergen ◽  
Tinen L. Iles ◽  
Paul A. Iaizzo

Abstract Mimetic three-dimensional (3D) printing has been shown to enhance presurgical planning and improve patient outcomes. However, data inconsistencies and non-optimized soft tissue data management strategies have impaired efforts to characterize soft tissues and translate biophysical values to 3D printing media durometers and shore values. As a result, finished models are inconsistent and exhibit reduced mimetic qualities. Improving biophysical characterizations of soft tissues, analysis strategies, and consolidation infrastructures are important factors that will improve 3D modeling in a presurgical planning setting. In our ongoing associated studies, both physiologically viable and formalin fixed large mammalian tissues (including human) were assessed using uniaxial and biaxial testing strategies. Biophysical datasets were analyzed using a gated analysis strategy, tailored to data acquisition methods developed within the University of Minnesota Visible Heart® Labs (VHL). A SQL database was then constructed to consolidate analyzed data for future retrieval. This strong preliminary data is a foundation for further development and refinement of future studies. It is our long-term goal that these strategies be improved and adopted to enhance the mimetic qualities of 3D presurgical planning models.


Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 520
Author(s):  
Johann Zwirner ◽  
Mario Scholze ◽  
Benjamin Ondruschka ◽  
Niels Hammer

Background and Objectives: Profound knowledge on the load-dependent behavior of human soft tissues is required for the development of suitable replacements as well as for realistic computer simulations. Regarding the former, e.g., the anisotropy of a particular biological tissue has to be represented with site- and direction-dependent particular mechanical values. Contrary to this concept of consistent mechanical properties of a defined soft tissue, mechanical parameters of soft tissues scatter considerably when being determined in tensile tests. In spite of numerous measures taken to standardize the mechanical testing of soft tissues, several setup- and tissue-related factors remain to influence the mechanical parameters of human soft tissues to a yet unknown extent. It is to date unclear if measurement extremes should be considered a variation or whether these data have to be deemed incorrect measurement outliers. This given study aimed to determine mechanical parameters of the human cranial dura mater as a model for human soft tissues using a highly standardized protocol and based on this, critically evaluate the definition for the term mechanical “variation” of human soft tissue. Materials and Methods: A total of 124 human dura mater samples with an age range of 3 weeks to 94 years were uniformly retrieved, osmotically adapted and mechanically tested using customized 3D-printed equipment in a quasi-static tensile testing setup. Scanning electron microscopy of 14 samples was conducted to relate the mechanical parameters to morphological features of the dura mater. Results: The here obtained mechanical parameters were scattered (elastic modulus = 46.06 MPa, interquartile range = 33.78 MPa; ultimate tensile strength = 5.56 MPa, interquartile range = 4.09 MPa; strain at maximum force = 16.58%, interquartile range = 4.81%). Scanning electron microscopy revealed a multi-layered nature of the dura mater with varying fiber directions between its outer and inner surface. Conclusions: It is concluded that mechanical parameters of soft tissues such as human dura mater are highly variable even if a highly standardized testing setup is involved. The tissue structure and composition appeared to be the main contributor to the scatter of the mechanical parameters. In consequence, mechanical variation of soft tissues can be defined as the extremes of a biomechanical parameter due to an uncontrollable change in tissue structure and/or the respective testing setup.


Biomaterials ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 170-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan J. Mondschein ◽  
Akanksha Kanitkar ◽  
Christopher B. Williams ◽  
Scott S. Verbridge ◽  
Timothy E. Long

Author(s):  
Hyeongjin Lee ◽  
YoungWon Koo ◽  
Miji Yeo ◽  
SuHon Kim ◽  
Geun Hyung Kim

 Three-dimensional (3D) printing in tissue engineering has been studied for the bio mimicry of the structures of human tissues and organs. Now it is being applied to 3D cell printing, which can position cells and biomaterials, such as growth factors, at desired positions in the 3D space. However, there are some challenges of 3D cell printing, such as cell damage during the printing process and the inability to produce a porous 3D shape owing to the embedding of cells in the hydrogel-based printing ink, which should be biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic, etc. Therefore, researchers have been studying ways to balance or enhance the post-print cell viability and the print-ability of 3D cell printing technologies by accommodating several mechanical, electrical, and chemical based systems. In this mini-review, several common 3D cell printing methods and their modified applications are introduced for overcoming deficiencies of the cell printing process.


Author(s):  
Elisa Mazzoni ◽  
Maria Rosa Iaquinta ◽  
Carmen Lanzillotti ◽  
Chiara Mazziotta ◽  
Martina Maritati ◽  
...  

Over the past decades, age-related pathologies have increased abreast the aging population worldwide. The increased age of the population indicates that new tools, such as biomaterials/scaffolds for damaged tissues, which display high efficiency, effectively and in a limited period of time, for the regeneration of the body's tissue are needed. Indeed, scaffolds can be used as templates for three-dimensional tissue growth in order to promote the tissue healing stimulating the body's own regenerative mechanisms. In tissue engineering, several types of biomaterials are employed, such as bioceramics including calcium phosphates, bioactive glasses, and glass–ceramics. These scaffolds seem to have a high potential as biomaterials in regenerative medicine. In addition, in conjunction with other materials, such as polymers, ceramic scaffolds may be used to manufacture composite scaffolds characterized by high biocompatibility, mechanical efficiency and load-bearing capabilities that render these biomaterials suitable for regenerative medicine applications. Usually, bioceramics have been used to repair hard tissues, such as bone and dental defects. More recently, in the field of soft tissue engineering, this form of scaffold has also shown promising applications. Indeed, soft tissues are continuously exposed to damages, such as burns or mechanical traumas, tumors and degenerative pathology, and, thereby, thousands of people need remedial interventions such as biomaterials-based therapies. It is known that scaffolds can affect the ability to bind, proliferate and differentiate cells similar to those of autologous tissues. Therefore, it is important to investigate the interaction between bioceramics and somatic/stem cells derived from soft tissues in order to promote tissue healing. Biomimetic scaffolds are frequently employed as drug-delivery system using several therapeutic molecules to increase their biological performance, leading to ultimate products with innovative functionalities. This review provides an overview of essential requirements for soft tissue engineering biomaterials. Data on recent progresses of porous bioceramics and composites for tissue repair are also presented.


RSC Advances ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (60) ◽  
pp. 32017-32023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien Leroy ◽  
Assala Al Samad ◽  
Xavier Garric ◽  
Sylvie Hunger ◽  
Danièle Noël ◽  
...  

Degradable and biocompatible networks have been prepared via thiol–yne photochemistry from novel alkyne multifunctional PCL. The mechanical properties of these cross-linked biomaterials could make them good candidates for soft tissues scaffolds.


2021 ◽  
pp. 459-466
Author(s):  
Sohail Akhtar

Soft tissues are an important interface between the tendons and bones of the hand. This interface provides both physical and biological functions by facilitating smooth tendon excursion, tendon healing, and tendon and joint stability. Disease of these soft tissues results in pain, swelling, and loss of function, and can be due to systemic conditions or local factors. These conditions include disease of the tendon sheath, disease of the tendon synovium, and diseases of tendon attachments. Inflammation was considered a universal hallmark in these conditions but recent evidence suggests that this is not true for all such conditions, whose treatment has consequently been modified. This knowledge has also caused reflection on the nomenclature used to describe these conditions and has brought clarity to the traditionally used terminology such as tenosynovitis.


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