[Application of the three-dimensional bioprinting for the osteochondral tissue regeneration]

The repair of osteochondral damage is clinically challenging. There are some limitations in the current technologies for osteochondral repair and regeneration, and it is still difficult for the strategies for osteochondral tissue engineering to obtain lasting and effective outcomes. The emergence and development of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting have provided novel and powerful technical means for the reconstruction of osteochondral tissue. The controlled deposition of bioactive materials makes it possible to accurately reconstruct the heterogeneous microstructure of osteochondral tissue. This article summarizes the latest developments in the field of osteochondral bioprinting, including scaffold-based bioprinting, scaffold-free bioprinting, and in situ bioprinting. At the same time, the major considerations of osteochondral bioprinting are discussed, and current solutions and research trends are proposed, to broaden the understanding of readers about 3D bioprinting of osteochondral tissue.