Applications, advancements, and challenges of 3D bioprinting in organ transplantation

To date, organ transplantation remains an effective method for treating end-stage diseases of various organs. In recent years, despite the continuous development of organ transplantation technology, a variety of problems restricting its progress have emerged one after another, and the shortage of donors is at the top of the list. Bioprinting is a very useful tool that has huge application potential in many fields of life science and biotechnology, among which its use in medicine occupies a large area. With the development of bioprinting, advances in medicine have focused on printing cells and tissues for tissue regeneration and reconstruction of viable human organs, such as the heart, kidneys, and bones. In recent years, with the development of organ transplantation, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has played an increasingly important role in this field, giving rise to many unsolved problems, including a shortage of organ donors. This review respectively introduces the development of 3D bioprinting as well as its working principles and main applications in the medical field, especially in the applications, and advancements and challenges of 3D bioprinting in organ transplantation. With the continuous update and progress of printing technology and its deeper integration with the medical field, many obstacles will have new solutions, including tissue repair and regeneration, organ reconstruction, etc., especially in the field of organ transplantation. 3D printing technology will provide a better solution to the problem of donor shortage.