3D Bioprinting for Next-Generation Personalized Medicine

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 28;24(7):6357. doi: 10.3390/ijms24076357.

Abstract

In the past decade, immense progress has been made in advancing personalized medicine to effectively address patient-specific disease complexities in order to develop individualized treatment strategies. In particular, the emergence of 3D bioprinting for in vitro models of tissue and organ engineering presents novel opportunities to improve personalized medicine. However, the existing bioprinted constructs are not yet able to fulfill the ultimate goal: an anatomically realistic organ with mature biological functions. Current bioprinting approaches have technical challenges in terms of precise cell deposition, effective differentiation, proper vascularization, and innervation. This review introduces the principles and realizations of bioprinting with a strong focus on the predominant techniques, including extrusion printing and digital light processing (DLP). We further discussed the applications of bioprinted constructs, including the engraftment of stem cells as personalized implants for regenerative medicine and in vitro high-throughput drug development models for drug discovery. While no one-size-fits-all approach to bioprinting has emerged, the rapid progress and promising results of preliminary studies have demonstrated that bioprinting could serve as an empowering technology to resolve critical challenges in personalized medicine.

Keywords: biomaterial; bioprinting; drug discovery; personalized medicine; precision medicine; regenerative medicine; stem cell.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bioprinting* / methods
  • Humans
  • Precision Medicine
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • Tissue Engineering* / methods
  • Tissue Scaffolds