The clinical significance of 4D printing

Afsana Sheikh; Mohammed A S Abourehab; Prashant Kesharwani

doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103391

The clinical significance of 4D printing

Drug Discov Today. 2023 Jan;28(1):103391. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103391. Epub 2022 Oct 1.

Authors

Afsana Sheikh¹, Mohammed A S Abourehab², Prashant Kesharwani³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.
² Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia 61519, Egypt.
³ Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India. Electronic address: prashantdops@gmail.com.

PMID: 36195204
DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103391

Abstract

4D printing is the next step on from 3D printing involving the fourth dimension of 'time'. The programmed 4D-printed objects are capable of changing their shape in response to external stimuli, such as light, heat, or water, differentiating them from 3D-printed static objects. This technique promises new possibilities for cancer treatment, drug delivery, stent development, and tissue engineering. In this review, we focus on the development of 4D-printed objects, their clinical use, and the possibility of 5D printing, which could revolutionize the fields of biomedical engineering and drug delivery.

Keywords: 4D printing; 5D printing; Biomedical application; Drug delivery; Shape memory polymer.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bioengineering
Biomedical Engineering
Clinical Relevance*
Printing, Three-Dimensional
Tissue Engineering* / methods