Chapter 11: Bioprinting Hydrogels and Tissue Engineering

Hydrogels have often been utilized for bioprinting, the three-dimensional printing of cells and/or bioactive molecules for tissue engineering, because of their ability to be processed at low temperatures and low shear forces that are favorable for cell encapsulation. The design of a hydrogel bioink requires the consideration of several key parameters that include the material formulation, the cell type(s) within the bioink, and the printing methodology. The selection of these parameters requires the consideration of the biochemical and physical properties of the hydrogel as well as the potential effects of hydrogel encapsulation and printing on cell behavior. Advances in hydrogel design and printing technology have ultimately enabled the fabrication of constructs for two-dimensional tissues as well as three-dimensional hollow, solid, and anatomical structures. This chapter provides an overview of the design parameters involved in the creation of hydrogel bioinks and also describes the advances in the fabrication of biomimetic tissue engineering constructs using hydrogel bioprinting.