Novel Approaches for the 3D Printing of Collagen-Sourced Biomaterials Against Infectious and Cardiovascular Diseases

Collagen is a versatile material, and collagen in the human body strengthens the muscles and related organs, allowing good substances to be absorbed into the bloodstream while preventing the absorption of toxic substances. Thus, collagen has been broadly applied in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. A comprehensive framework for various collagen products has been created by integrating collagen resources with additive components. The application of 3D-bioprinting technologies for designing physiological models further allows for the introduction of enhanced preclinical testing tools that can contribute to successful elucidation of the mechanisms behind host-pathogen interactions, and subsequent prevention and treatment of various diseases. In this review, novel strategies for the 3D-printing production of collagen-sourced biomedical devices, as well as diverse applications customized with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, were thoroughly examined. Ongoing challenges, including the inherent limitations in the mechanical weakness of collagen-based bioinks, such as printability and stability, along with cell viability and bioavailability, and advanced strategies addressing those challenges, were also reviewed. An integration of 3D printing with collagen as a bioink is enormously efficient in biomedical applications, demonstrating its great potential for clinical translation against infectious diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.