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Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Agarose Fluid Gels Formed by Shear Processing During Gelation for Suspended 3D Bioprinting
Published on: May 26, 2023
Microgels for bioprinting: recent advancements and challenges
Mingjun Xie1,2,3,4,5, Ji Wang1, Sufan Wu1
1Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310014. ysprschina@163.com.
Microgels are versatile building blocks in bioprinting, offering unique properties for applications like tissue repair and drug delivery. This review explores microgel fabrication, bioink development, and future trends in bioprinting applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Microgels possess advantageous properties for bioprinting, including small size, nutrient-rich networks, and tunable rheology.
- They are traditionally used for cell encapsulation in disease models and organ regeneration.
- Emerging applications include use as drug carriers and as key components in 3D bioprinting bioinks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review microgel fabrication methods.
- To discuss microgel-based bioinks for 3D bioprinting.
- To predict future trends in microgel development for bioprinting.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication methods discussed include bulk crushing, auxiliary dripping, multiphase emulsion, and lithography.
- The review synthesizes existing literature on microgel applications in bioprinting.
- Future directions are predicted based on current research trajectories.
Main Results:
- Microgels can be fabricated using diverse techniques tailored to specific needs.
- Microgels serve as advanced bioink components for creating complex 3D structures and facilitating tissue repair.
- Their role extends to controlled drug delivery systems.
Conclusions:
- Microgels are crucial for advancing bioprinting technologies.
- Further research into microgel fabrication and bioink formulation will unlock new applications.
- The potential for multifunctional microgel-based bioinks is significant for future regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
