Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has revolutionized the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM), offering the ability to fabricate tissues with high precision. Despite this progress, replicating the complex structure and cellular diversity of native tissues remains a challenge. Traditional 3D bioprinting methods often face limitations in incorporating multiple cell types and biomaterials while maintaining fine spatial control over cellular environments. Furthermore, these methods typically lack the ability to modulate cellular behavior prior to deposition, restricting tissue maturation and functional outcomes. We are working on advanced 3D bioprinting strategies leveraging microfluidic-assisted technologies to precisely compartmentalize biomaterials, growth factors and cells, enabling the fabrication of complex tissue constructs with functional gradients. Unconventional microfluidic printheads integrated with flow-focusing and passive mixer modules can be used to dynamically control fiber diameter, biomaterial composition, and cell distribution. This innovation supports the creation of compartmentalized 3D layers with tailored cell densities, mimicking the intricate architecture of native tissues and their interfaces. Harnessing microfluidic-assisted 3D bioprinting, we can engineer constructs that can closely mimic patient-specific districts with bioengineering platforms that use planar and unconventional deposition approaches. Our versatile system not only enables the generation of physiologically relevant tissue substitutes but also offers a powerful platform for disease modeling and drug development through the recreation of diverse cellular microenvironments within a single construct. By overcoming the inherent limitations of conventional bioprinting techniques, this method holds immense potential for advancing TERM applications, providing novel solutions for aging-related tissue degeneration and improving therapeutic strategies.
28 marzo 2025