3D Bioprinting for Engineering Organoids and Organ-on-a-Chip: Developments and Applications

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a promising technology for the fabrication of complex tissue structures with bionic biological functions and stable mechanical properties. Compared to traditional two-dimensional models and animal models, 3D bioprinted biomimetic tissue models offer enhanced mimicry of biological systems, enable high-throughput screening, reduce experimental costs, and have multiple applications in disease modeling, drug discovery, and precision medicine. Despite recent advancements in the commercialization of 3D bioprinting, the technology continues to encounter bioethical and legal issues, as well as a lack of innovation in novel biomaterials. This review provides an overview of the fundamental techniques of 3D bioprinting and examines the benefits of utilizing this technology to develop organoid and organ-on-a-chip (OOC) functional tissue models. Subsequently, the review will highlight the numerous applications of 3D bioprinting in drug discovery, drug screening, and precision therapy. Additionally, the review will also focus on the constraints of existing technology and propose future research directions.