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Future Development and Applications

Despite continuous progress, bioprinting technology is still in its infancy and there are many challenges that still must be met and resolved before the full potential of this field can be understood and appreciated. Several approaches are at hand that may enable researchers to answer to these challenges. Researchers could design bioinks incorporated with controlled release particles that may be loaded with growth factors or other signaling molecules, an approach from tissue engineering. New software may be developed to improve modeling the organ or creating blueprints. The biofabrication process can be improved with the developoment of cutting-edge tools and the system optimized. Now more seemingly possible than before, the future of bioprinting may really well be the development of an integrated system - computer, bioprinter and bioreactor - for the easy biofabrication of an organ.

The future of bioprinting?

Advances in any step of the bioprinting process will enhance its use in a number of applications such as in the simultaneous printing of cells and rigid scaffolds and in organ printing in vitro. New ideas may be created or ideas may be taken from different fields. Each new breakthrough increases the feasibility of this technology as challenges are met and the system is optimized to enable efficient penetration and vascularization of printed 3D tissue constructs and maintenance of shape and biomechanical properties. However, more revolutionary to the success of this field is the potential ability to print organs in vivo through the development of bioprinting-based surgical instruments.
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