Bioprinting-By-Design of Hydrogel-Based Biomaterials for In Situ Skin Tissue Engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Burns represent a significant global trauma, with current treatments like autologous split thickness skin grafts (STSGs) causing secondary injuries.
• The need for advanced wound healing strategies is critical to improve patient outcomes and reduce morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the key aspects of in situ bioprinting for skin regeneration.
• To discuss the potential of in situ bioprinting as a future treatment for burn injuries.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of crosslinking mechanisms relevant to bioinks.
• Analysis of natural and synthetic hydrogel-based bioink properties.
• Overview of various in situ bioprinting techniques and their clinical translation.

Main Results:

• In situ bioprinting allows direct bioink deposition onto wounds, offering clinical advantages over in vitro methods.
• Challenges remain in optimizing bioink-printing mechanism combinations for multi-material dispensing and timely construct fabrication.

Conclusions:

• In situ bioprinting holds substantial potential for advancing skin regeneration and burn care.
• Ongoing research aims to overcome current limitations, paving the way for clinical application.