Biocomposite Inks for 3D Printing

• Other Authors: Carrasco, Gary (Editor)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2021
• Subjects: Information technology industries; bacteria biofabrication; 3D printing; tissue engineering; probiotic food; pine sawdust; soda ethanol pulping; nanocellulose; cytotoxicity; absorption; wound dressings; bioprinting; cellulose; hydrogel; physical cross-linking; 3D bioprinting; biocomposite ink; tubular tissue; tubular organ; bacterial nanocellulose; cellulose nanofibrils; cellulose nanocrystals; bioink; collagen; ECM; extracellular matrix; bioinks; biomanufacturing; biocomposite; forest-based MFC; fibrils; additive manufacturing; artificial limb; fused deposition modeling (FDM); biofabrication; hydrogels; growth factor cocktail; bioactive scaffold; printability; carboxylated agarose; free-standing; human nasal chondrocytes; clinical translational; polyhydroxyalkanoates; scaffolds; biomedicine; drug delivery; vessel stenting; cancer; 3D cell culture; CNF; cancer stemness; n/a
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has evolved massively during the last years. The 3D printing technologies offer various advantages, including: i) tailor-made design, ii) rapid prototyping, and iii) manufacturing of complex structures. Importantly, 3D printing is currently finding its potential in tissue engineering, wound dressings, tissue models for drug testing, prosthesis, and biosensors, to name a few. One important factor is the optimized composition of inks that can facilitate the deposition of cells, fabrication of vascularized tissue and the structuring of complex constructs that are similar to functional organs. Biocomposite inks can include synthetic and natural polymers, such as poly (ε-caprolactone), polylactic acid, collagen, hyaluronic acid, alginate, nanocellulose, and may be complemented with cross-linkers to stabilize the constructs and with bioactive molecules to add functionality. Inks that contain living cells are referred to as bioinks and the process as 3D bioprinting. Some of the key aspects of the formulation of bioinks are, e.g., the tailoring of mechanical properties, biocompatibility and the rheological behavior of the ink which may affect the cell viability, proliferation, and cell differentiation.The current Special Issue emphasizes the bio-technological engineering of novel biocomposite inks for various 3D printing technologies, also considering important aspects in the production and use of bioinks.