Printhead on a chip: empowering droplet-based bioprinting with microfluidics

Trends Biotechnol. 2023 Sep 28:S0167-7799(23)00275-5. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.09.001. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDroplet-based bioprinting has long struggled with the manipulation and dispensation of individual cells from a printhead, hindering the fabrication of artificial cellular structures with high precision. The integration of modern microfluidic modules into the printhead of a bioprinter is emerging as one approach to overcome this bottleneck. This convergence allows for high-accuracy manipulation and spatial control over placement of cells during printing, and enables the fabrication of cell arrays and hierarchical heterogenous microtissues, opening new applications in bioanalysis and high-throughput screening. In this review, we summarize recent developments in the use of microfluidics in droplet printing systems, with consideration of the working principles; present applications extended through microfluidic features; and discuss the future of this technology.PMID:37777352 | DOI:10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.09.001

Source: Trends in Biotechnology - September 30, 2023 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Pengfei Zhang Congying Liu Cyrus Modavi Adam Abate Huawei Chen Source Type: research