Given its speed and potential, could 3D bioprinting become the next big thing in medicine? Many thought leaders think so, and they posit that 3D bioprinting could bring value in the short term and over the long haul.
For example, the short-term benefits of bioprinting includein vivoandin vivo-like applications, such as:
- Disease Modeling.Bioprinting supercharges 3D cell culturing by allowing researchers to replicate histologies of disease states and explore applications, such as biomarkers, to better understand disease progression.
- Toxicology Screening.Investigators can bioprint organic material to test drug toxicity on human tissue, as Organovo has done withhuman liver tissue.
- Simple Tissue Replacement.Scientists have already established proof-of-concept applications for bioprinting simple tissues, such as heart valves, ears, and cartilage, as well as a bioresorbable tracheal splint that was successfully implanted into a baby.
The long-term benefits of bioprinting could include:
- Complex Organ Replacement.Though we might betwo decades awayfrom being able to make viablereplacement organs, many researchers have posited that once we do, it could offset the shortage of organ donors and dramatically transform organ transplantation.
- Regenerative and 4D Bioprinting.As bioprinted materials continue to evolve cellular functions within their new biological environments, it unlocks even greater potential for tissue engineering — such as the ability to printa pediatric heart that grows with the patient.
- In SituBioprinting.Could we someday directly generate living tissue into the human body? If any lessons are to be learned fromin situprinting of skin tissue, the answer seems to be a resounding yes.
The next frontier for bioprinting doesn't come without obstacles, and scientists are already working on optimal strategies to overcome them. The ability to create advanced bioinks with cellular function is a huge piece of the puzzle. And to create complex human tissue, one needs acomplex vascular networkto sustain it.
Meeting those challenges head-on requires the right set of tools and supplies to perfect the tissue ecosystemin vitro, which is why we're thrilled to support Organovo and other researchers with permeable supports and hydrogels as they continue to expand the boundaries of 3D bioprinting.