Bio-Inspired Hydrogels via 3D Bioprinting

Abstract

Many soft tissues of the human body such as cartilages, muscles, and ligaments are mainly composed of biological hydrogels possessing excellent mechanical properties and delicate structures. Nowadays, bio-inspired hydrogels have been intensively explored due to their promising potential applications in tissue engineering. However, the traditional manufacturing technology is challenging to produce the bio-inspired hydrogels, and the typical biological composite topologies of bio-inspired hydrogels are accessible completed using 3D bioprinting at micrometer resolution. In this chapter, the 3D bioprinting techniques used for the fabrication of bio-inspired hydrogels were summarized, and the materials used were outlined. This chapter also focuses on the applications of bio-inspired hydrogels fabricated using available 3D bioprinting technologies. The development of 3D bioprinting techniques in the future would bring us closer to the fabrication capabilities of living organisms, which would be widely used in biomedical applications.

Sustainable Biomass Lignin-Based Hydrogels: A Review on Properties, Formulation, and Biomedical Applications

“…Furthermore, these biomaterials provide an adequate porous microenvironment permitting gas diffusion and metabolite exchange in order to support the proliferation and differentiation of encapsulated cells, thereby developing the damaged tissue without open surgery [133]. For example, hydrogels of chitosan and alkali lignin show attractive properties such as biocompatibility and a conductive surface for cell attachment and growth, making them highly desirable for applications in tissue engineering [12].…”

“…Compared with traditional tissue engineering methods, 3D bioprinting technology shows promising advantages in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine [150]. The main difference is the use of bio-inks that are deposited layer by layer in a specific pattern that mimics native tissues and organs [20,133,[151][152][153]. This emerging technique involves the creation of cell-laden structures through the layered deposition of bio-inks in vitro and in vivo [133].…”

“…The main difference is the use of bio-inks that are deposited layer by layer in a specific pattern that mimics native tissues and organs [20,133,[151][152][153]. This emerging technique involves the creation of cell-laden structures through the layered deposition of bio-inks in vitro and in vivo [133]. It is a computer-assisted process that can control and plan the cellular and biomaterial geometries and special distribution in order to create anatomically correct biological structures [154,155].…”

Self-adhesive and self-healing hydrogel dressings based on quaternary ammonium chitosan and host-guest interacted silk fibroin

“…The available options include films, foams, composites, sprays, nanoparticles and hydrogels, all designed wound dressings to act as barriers to promote wound repairs [4][5][6]. Hydrogels, particularly, have earned considerable attention owing to their three-dimensional (3D) network structure, providing a moist environment, potential antibacterial properties and biocompatibility [7][8][9][10]. Hydrogels are essential biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility, swelling, and mechanical properties similar to soft tissue extracellular matrix [11].…”