Paulsen S J, Miller J S
Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas.
Dev Dyn. 2015 May;244(5):629-40. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.24254. Epub 2015 Apr 21.
Though in vivo models provide the most physiologically relevant environment for studying tissue function, in vitro studies provide researchers with explicit control over experimental conditions and the potential to develop high throughput testing methods. In recent years, advancements in developmental biology research and imaging techniques have significantly improved our understanding of the processes involved in vascular development. However, the task of recreating the complex, multi-scale vasculature seen in in vivo systems remains elusive.
3D bioprinting offers a potential method to generate controlled vascular networks with hierarchical structure approaching that of in vivo networks. Bioprinting is an interdisciplinary field that relies on advances in 3D printing technology along with advances in imaging and computational modeling, which allow researchers to monitor cellular function and to better understand cellular environment within the printed tissue.
As bioprinting technologies improve with regards to resolution, printing speed, available materials, and automation, 3D printing could be used to generate highly controlled vascularized tissues in a high throughput manner for use in regenerative medicine and the development of in vitro tissue models for research in developmental biology and vascular diseases.
尽管体内模型为研究组织功能提供了最接近生理状态的环境，但体外研究使研究人员能够明确控制实验条件，并有可能开发高通量测试方法。近年来，发育生物学研究和成像技术的进步显著增进了我们对血管发育相关过程的理解。然而，在体外重现体内系统中所见的复杂多尺度脉管系统仍然是一项艰巨的任务。
3D生物打印提供了一种潜在方法，可生成具有接近体内网络层次结构的可控血管网络。生物打印是一个跨学科领域，它依赖于3D打印技术的进步以及成像和计算建模的进展，这使研究人员能够监测细胞功能，并更好地了解打印组织内的细胞环境。
随着生物打印技术在分辨率、打印速度、可用材料和自动化方面的改进，3D打印可用于以高通量方式生成高度可控的血管化组织，用于再生医学以及开发用于发育生物学和血管疾病研究的体外组织模型。
