Review on alginate-based hydrogel bio-printing for application in tissue engineering.

Abstract

The dawn of 3D printing in medicals has pinned the domain with hopes of vitality in many patients combating with multitude of diseases. Also entitled as Bio-printing, this is appertained to its sequential printing of precursor ink, embodying cells and polymer/composite, in predetermined trajectory. Precursor ink, in addition to cells, constitutes predominantly hydrogels ascribed to its biodegradability and mimic ability of body s anatomy and mechanical features, e.g. bones, etc. This review paper is devoted to explicate bio-printing (3D/4D) of alginate hydrogels, which are the extract from brown algae, through extrusion additive manufacturing. Alginates are salt derivative of alginic acid and constitute long chain of polysaccharides, which furnishes pliability and gelling adeptness to its structure. Alginate hydrogel (employed for extrusion) can be pristine or composite relying on the requisite properties (target application controlled or in-vivo environment) e.g. Alginate-natural (gelatin/agarose/collagen/hyaluronic acid/etc.) and Alginate-synthetic (polyethylene glycol (PEG)/pluronic F127/etc.). Extrusion additive manufacturing of Alginate is preponderate among others with its uncomplicated processing, material efficiency (cut down on wastage), and outspread adaptability for viscosities (0.03-6*104 Pa.s) but the procedure is limited by resolution(200 \uf06dm) in addition to accuracy. However, 3D-fabricated bio-structures display rigidness (unvarying with conditions) that lacks smart response which is reassured by accounting time feature as noteworthy accessory to printing, interpreting as 4D Bio-printing. This review propounds specific processing itinerary for alginate (meanwhile traversing across its composites/blends with natural and synthetic consideration) in extrusion along with its pre-/during/post-processing parameters intrinsic to process. Furthermore, propensity is also presented in its (Alginate extrusion processing) application for tissue engineering, i.e. bones, cartilage (joints), brain (neural), ear, heart (cardiac), eyes (corneal), etc. due to worldwide quandary over accessibility to natural organs for diverse kinds of diseases. Additionally, the review contemplates recently invented advance printing i.e. 4D printing for biotic species with its challenges and future opportunities.