3D printing of bioreactors in tissue engineering: A generalised approach

Abstract

3D printing is a rapidly evolving field for biological (bioprinting) and non-biological applications. Due to a high degree of freedom for geometrical parameters in 3D printing, prototype printing of bioreactors is a promising approach in the field of Tissue Engineering. The variety of printers, materials, printing parameters and device settings is difficult to overview both for beginners as well as for most professionals. In order to address this problem, we designed a guidance including test bodies to elucidate the real printing performance for a given printer system. Therefore, performance parameters such as accuracy or mechanical stability of the test bodies are systematically analysed. Moreover, post processing steps such as sterilisation or cleaning are considered in the test procedure. The guidance presented here is also applicable to optimise the printer settings for a given printer device. As proof of concept, we compared fused filament fabrication, stereolithography and selective laser sintering as the three most used printing methods. We determined fused filament fabrication printing as the most economical solution, while stereolithography is most accurate and features the highest surface quality. Finally, we tested the applicability of our guidance by identifying a printer solution to manufacture a complex bioreactor for a perfused tissue construct. Due to its design, the manufacture via subtractive mechanical methods would be 21-fold more expensive than additive manufacturing and therefore, would result in three times the number of parts to be assembled subsequently. Using this bioreactor we showed a successful 14-day-culture of a biofabricated collagen-based tissue construct containing human dermal fibroblasts as the stromal part and a perfusable central channel with human microvascular endothelial cells. Our study indicates how the full potential of biofabrication can be exploited, as most printed tissues exhibit individual shapes and require storage under physiological conditions, after the bioprinting process.

3D Bioprinting in Microgravity: Opportunities, Challenges, and Possible Applications in Space

“…Lastly, 3D bioprinting is not limited to mammalian or human cells, but can also make use of other cell types, e.g., microalgae or cyanobacteria. [ 27 ] These could be implemented across a variety of applications, such as bioreactors and life support systems (e.g., for oxygen production and waste treatment [ 28 ] ), as well as food and secondary metabolites production (e.g., vitamins). This topic has not been widely explored yet, but also from this angle, 3D bioprinting could be a very interesting technology for future deep space missions.…”

Enabling Precision Medicine via Contemporary and Future Communication Technologies: A Survey

“…The AI deployed in high-end computational platforms is instrumental to the data classification and pattern outlining. For instance, in [150], AI is employed to develop a sensitive and specific early warning system to predict necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants. In the analytical and decision-making stage, the use of the digital twin model of the patient will be essential.…”

“…It is expected that this technology will enable the production of patient-specific models of body parts and medical devices. For instance, the 3D printed body parts can be used in tissue engineering [150], [151], and medical education [152]. In this sense, surgeons and other medical personnel will be able to 3D-print personalized models of the patients' tissues and organs and create medical devices, prosthetics, and implants tailored to a specific patient's therapeutic use.…”

3D printing in biotechnology—An insight into miniaturized and microfluidic systems for applications from cell culture to bioanalytics

“…Other works have also demonstrated (for example) the usefulness of microfluidic on‐chip platforms as blood‐brain barrier models [ 53 ], microbioreactors for tissue engineering [ 54 ], and cultivation chambers for studying angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) [ 55 ]. These examples underscore the tremendous applicability of 3D printing across a wide variety of cultivation devices and applications.…”