Polymeric hydrogels are widely explored materials for biomedical applications. However, they have inherent limitations like poor resistance to stimuli and low mechanical strength. This drawback of hydrogels gave rise to ‘‘smart self-healing hydrogels’’ which autonomously repair themselves when ruptured or traumatized. It is superior in terms of durability and stability due to its capacity to reform its shape, injectability, and stretchability thereby regaining back the original mechanical property. This review focuses on various self-healing mechanisms (covalent and non-covalent interactions) of these hydrogels, methods used to evaluate their self-healing properties, and their applications in wound healing, drug delivery, cell encapsulation, and tissue engineering systems. Furthermore, composite materials are used to enhance the hydrogel’s mechanical properties. Hence, findings of research with various composite materials are briefly discussed in order to emphasize the healing capacity of such hydrogels. Additionally, various methods to evaluate the self-healing properties of hydrogels and their recent advancements towards 3D bioprinting are also reviewed. The review is concluded by proposing several pertinent challenges encountered at present as well as some prominent future perspectives.
The culturing of cells in the laboratory under controlled conditions has always been crucial for the advancement of scientific research. Cell-based assays have played an important role in providing simple, fast, accurate, and cost-effective methods in drug discovery, disease modeling, and tissue engineering while mitigating reliance on cost-intensive and ethically challenging animal studies. The techniques involved in culturing cells are critical as results are based on cellular response to drugs, cellular cues, external stimuli, and human physiology. In order to establish in vitro cultures, cells are either isolated from normal or diseased tissue and allowed to grow in two or three dimensions. Two-dimensional (2D) cell culture methods involve the proliferation of cells on flat rigid surfaces resulting in a monolayer culture, while in three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures, the additional dimension provides a more accurate representation of the tissue milieu. In this review, we discuss the various methods involved in the development of 3D cell culture systems emphasizing the differences between 2D and 3D systems and methods involved in the recapitulation of the organ-specific 3D microenvironment. In addition, we discuss the latest developments in 3D tissue model fabrication techniques, microfluidics-based organ-on-a-chip, and imaging as a characterization technique for 3D tissue models.
This chapter deals with the emerging applications of 3D printing (3DP) technologies to tackle the recent pandemic, the Corona viral disease . The chapter throws light on the role of 3DP technologies and other allied hybrid technologies for the development of novel products to satiate the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face shields, masks, eye protection devices, ventilator tubes, and other medical devices needed to tackle COVID-19. It also explicates the hybrid additive processes required to fabricate novel metal and ceramic based biomedical implants with inbuilt antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Also, in vitro lung tissue models, especially based on 3D bioprinting technology for the screening of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) therapies are also elaborated in-depth. Finally, 3DP technologies based bespoke drug delivery devices for personalized and on-demand drug dosing, complex drug release profiles, and polypills are discussed. To conclude, this chapter emphasizes the role of 3DP technologies in the development of novel emerging applications like antiviral property enriched biomedical implants, fabrication of PPE, in vitro lung tissue models, and finally personalized drug delivery devices, which could go a long way in tackling COVID-19 in an efficient manner. IntroductionCorona virus disease (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is declared as a pandemic by WHO (World Health Organization) is spreading rapidly across the globe. As of October
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