The
field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has made
numerous advances in recent years in the arena of fabricating multifunctional,
three-dimensional (3D) tissue constructs. This can be attributed to
novel approaches in the bioprinting of stem cells. There are expansive
options in bioprinting technology that have become more refined and
specialized over the years, and stem cells address many limitations
in cell source, expansion, and development of bioengineered tissue
constructs. While bioprinted stem cells present an opportunity to
replicate physiological microenvironments with precision, the future
of this practice relies heavily on the optimization of the cellular
microenvironment. To fabricate tissue constructs that are useful in
replicating physiological conditions in laboratory settings, or in
preparation for transplantation to a living host, the microenvironment
must mimic conditions that allow bioprinted stem cells to proliferate,
differentiate, and migrate. The advances of bioprinting stem cells
and directing cell fate have the potential to provide feasible and
translatable approach to creating complex tissues and organs. This
review will examine the methods through which bioprinted stem cells
are differentiated into desired cell lineages through biochemical,
biological, and biomechanical techniques.