The Prospect of Hepatic Decellularized Extracellular Matrix as a Bioink for Liver 3D Bioprinting

The incidence of liver diseases is high worldwide. Many factors can cause liver fibrosis, which in turn can lead to liver cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Due to the shortage of donor organs, immunosuppression, and other factors, only a few patients are able to undergo liver transplantation. Therefore, how to construct a bioartificial liver that can be transplanted has become a global research hotspot. With the rapid development of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, researchers have tried to use various 3D bioprinting technologies to construct bioartificial livers in vitro. In terms of the choice of bioinks, liver decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) has many advantages over other materials for cell-laden hydrogel in 3D bioprinting. This review mainly summarizes the acquisition of liver dECM and its application in liver 3D bioprinting as a bioink with respect to availability, printability, and biocompatibility in many aspects and puts forward the current challenges and prospects.