Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
Bioprinting via Hydrogel in the Near Future
Bioprinting is the practice of producing artificial living tissue by generating layer upon layer of living cells; a variation of the now common process of 3-D printing of plastic and metal materials. Bioprinters output cells, using bio-ink, from a bioprint head that moves in the common locomotion range - left and right, back and forth, and up and down - in order to place the cells in their precise and desired locations. Similar to crystals, the structure of the final product has vast effects on its overall properties and characteristics. Specifically, much of the excitement for the field of Bioprinting comes from its potential to create human organs. The key component to this process would be hydrogel, which consists of lab-grown cells held together by dissolvable, organic gels. The types of cells used in this material are highly dependent on the function of the organ being replicated. Since the tissues within the human and animal physique are composed of dissimilar cell types, the properties of hydrogel vary in its ability to ensure stability and viability for the cells that the material is replicating. If the combination of properties used to produce a certain type of hydrogel do not symbiotically work in harmony with the human body, it will be rejected and cause further medical issues in the specimen. With all variables that come into play with creating hydrogel, it is easy to see why this material is still in its developmental stage. With intensive research and interviews from professors in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Virginia, such as the Biomedical Engineering department, and the analysis of the works of innovators in the Bioprinting and Organ Printing field, it is our goal to gauge possible advancements that can come with the production of hydrogel. This area of material science technology was of our particular interest because the refinement of hydrogel could without a doubt revolutionize medical practices in the near future. Hydrogel could be the solution to fatal illnesses and enhance the overall quality of life for all of humanity.
Works Cited
Ahmed, Enas M.. "Hydrogel: Preparation, characterization, and applications." Journal of Advanced Research 1 (2013): n. pag. http://www.sciencedirect.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Buyukhatipoglu, Kivilcim, Robert Chang, Wei Sun, and Alisa Morss Clyne. "Bioprinted Nanoparticles for Tissue Engineering Applications." Tissue Engineering Part C: Methods 16.4 (2010): 631-642. http://online.liebertpub.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Khalil, Saif, and Wei Sun. "Bioprinting Endothelial Cells With Alginate for 3D Tissue Constructs." Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 131.11 (2009): 111002. PubMed. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Mironov, Vladimir, Nuno Reis, and Brian Derby. "Review: Bioprinting: A Beginning." Tissue Engineering 12.4 (2006): 631-634. http://online.liebertpub.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Murphy, Sean V., Aleksander Skardal, and Anthony Atala. "Evaluation of hydrogels for bio-printing applications." Journal of
Biomedical Materials Research Part A 101A.1 (2013): 272-284. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Sawhney, Amarpreet S., Chandrashekhar P. Pathak, Jillian J. Van Rensburg, Randall C. Dunn, and Jeffrey A. Hubbell. "Optimization of photopolymerized bioerodible hydrogel properties for adhesion prevention." Journal of Biomedical Materials Research 28.7 (1994): 831-838. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
"The Amazing History And Future Of Bioprinting (Infographic)." WebProNews. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. webpronews.com/the-amazing-history-and-future-of-bioprinting-infographic-2012-07.
Bioprinting via Hydrogel in the Near Future
Bioprinting is the practice of producing artificial living tissue by generating layer upon layer of living cells; a variation of the now common process of 3-D printing of plastic and metal materials. Bioprinters output cells, using bio-ink, from a bioprint head that moves in the common locomotion range - left and right, back and forth, and up and down - in order to place the cells in their precise and desired locations. Similar to crystals, the structure of the final product has vast effects on its overall properties and characteristics. Specifically, much of the excitement for the field of Bioprinting comes from its potential to create human organs. The key component to this process would be hydrogel, which consists of lab-grown cells held together by dissolvable, organic gels. The types of cells used in this material are highly dependent on the function of the organ being replicated. Since the tissues within the human and animal physique are composed of dissimilar cell types, the properties of hydrogel vary in its ability to ensure stability and viability for the cells that the material is replicating. If the combination of properties used to produce a certain type of hydrogel do not symbiotically work in harmony with the human body, it will be rejected and cause further medical issues in the specimen. With all variables that come into play with creating hydrogel, it is easy to see why this material is still in its developmental stage. With intensive research and interviews from professors in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of Virginia, such as the Biomedical Engineering department, and the analysis of the works of innovators in the Bioprinting and Organ Printing field, it is our goal to gauge possible advancements that can come with the production of hydrogel. This area of material science technology was of our particular interest because the refinement of hydrogel could without a doubt revolutionize medical practices in the near future. Hydrogel could be the solution to fatal illnesses and enhance the overall quality of life for all of humanity.
Works Cited
Ahmed, Enas M.. "Hydrogel: Preparation, characterization, and applications." Journal of Advanced Research 1 (2013): n. pag. http://www.sciencedirect.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Buyukhatipoglu, Kivilcim, Robert Chang, Wei Sun, and Alisa Morss Clyne. "Bioprinted Nanoparticles for Tissue Engineering Applications." Tissue Engineering Part C: Methods 16.4 (2010): 631-642. http://online.liebertpub.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Khalil, Saif, and Wei Sun. "Bioprinting Endothelial Cells With Alginate for 3D Tissue Constructs." Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 131.11 (2009): 111002. PubMed. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Mironov, Vladimir, Nuno Reis, and Brian Derby. "Review: Bioprinting: A Beginning." Tissue Engineering 12.4 (2006): 631-634. http://online.liebertpub.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Murphy, Sean V., Aleksander Skardal, and Anthony Atala. "Evaluation of hydrogels for bio-printing applications." Journal of
Biomedical Materials Research Part A 101A.1 (2013): 272-284. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Sawhney, Amarpreet S., Chandrashekhar P. Pathak, Jillian J. Van Rensburg, Randall C. Dunn, and Jeffrey A. Hubbell. "Optimization of photopolymerized bioerodible hydrogel properties for adhesion prevention." Journal of Biomedical Materials Research 28.7 (1994): 831-838. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
"The Amazing History And Future Of Bioprinting (Infographic)." WebProNews. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. webpronews.com/the-amazing-history-and-future-of-bioprinting-infographic-2012-07.
