Abstract
This chapter seeks to explore the current state of 3D printing technology in bone tissue engineering from the reflectibility approach, analyzing in more detail what this field consists of, as well as the materials and techniques mainly used nowadays in 3D printing. Likewise, the potential of this technique in the future is analyzed with the possibilities of improvement in the short and long terms. The research methodology used was non-experimental, documentary, and descriptive. The information was collected from indexed journals and web platforms using keywords such as “bone tissue engineering” and “3D printing” in search engines. Therefore, this chapter represents a very important and necessary source of bibliographic information to be able to carry out new research in this field.
TopBackground
Bone Tissue Engineering
Bone tissue engineering was born from the clinical need to develop alternatives to methods involving bone tissue autografts and allografts which achieve the same results, but without their negative aspects (Roseti et al., 2017). This initiative eventually produced a large number of strategies that combined regenerative medicine with tissue engineering to develop solutions that promote bone regeneration (Farokhi et al., 2016). In this way, using knowledge on bone physiology and technological advances on materials, bone tissue engineering presents innovative techniques that integrate biology and engineering to address problems concerning bone defects. However, and despite experimental progress, it still needs to be further developed to achieve optimal results (Li et al., 2018).
Thus, the main advances in bone tissue engineering techniques include the cultivation and use of stem cells, the development of vascular networks, and bone regeneration (Black et al., 2015). Similarly, some studies focus on investigating the regenerative properties of human bone, specifically on the existence of a stem cell population that performs these repairs, and how they can be harnessed (Dawson & Oreffo, 2008). Other studies have focused on studying the vascular network inside bones, as well as its relationship with bone stem cells and how blood vessels could harbor undifferentiated skeletal progenitors that promote bone tissue repair in affected areas (Mercado-Pagán, 2015).
Furthermore, the fabrication and application of specialized scaffolds that, by implementing an extracellular microenvironment, stimulate the in vivo cellular regeneration of bone tissue in the affected area was studied (Kondiah et al., 2020). These scaffolds mechanically stabilize the affected area for the necessary time until it is replaced by new bone tissue, using osteogenic and angiogenic stem cells (Söhling et al., 2020). The present book chapter focuses on these specialized scaffolds and their evolution in recent years.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Osteogenesis: The process by which bone tissue is formed and even regenerated to some degree after bone injury.
Bioprinting: The combination of cells and biological materials with 3D printing techniques to produce three-dimensional biomedical developments with properties similar to living tissue. The main bioprinting techniques include extrusion, laser-assisted, acoustic wave, and SWIFT techniques.
Bioink: A special liquid containing living cells, a structural material and growth factors, which allow the material to be transformed into pure biological tissue by cell reproduction. These special inks can be used in the same way as other materials in 3D printing, being extruded from the nozzle of a 3D printer.
Bone Structure: Also called bones, which are the osseous tissue responsible for giving shape and support to the body, allowing its mobility, serving as storage for various minerals, and even protecting internal organs from trauma. The human bone structure is composed of 206 bones.
3D Printing: A manufacturing process capable of producing a three-dimensional model through the addition of layered material. This process can be used to create a wide range of complex geometries in an efficient manner, being able to use almost any material.
Bone Scaffold: Three-dimensional scaffolds with porous structures, in charge of guiding the formation of new organs and tissues. Bone scaffolds manufactured by 3D printing allow a better integration with the host bone tissue and allow vascularization and bone development.
Tissue Engineering: A branch of bioengineering capable of improving or replacing biological functions by combining knowledge in materials engineering with biochemistry and physiochemistry. In practice, it refers more to applications aimed at partial or total tissue repair or replacement.
Scaffold-Assisted Regeneration: The use of bone scaffolds manufactured by 3D printing and applied to a bone defect to promote complete regeneration of the affected area.