Different Types of Bioprinters Available in the Market Now

Bioprinting is a technology that can create artificial tissues and organs by depositing living cells and biomaterials layer by layer. Bioprinting has enormous potential for various applications, such as regenerative medicine, drug testing, disease modeling, and organ transplantation. However, bioprinting also requires specialized machines that can handle the complex and delicate process of printing with biological materials. These machines are called bioprinters, and they come in different types and designs. In this article, we will review some of the different types of bioprinters available in the market now.

Inkjet Bioprinters

Inkjet bioprinters are based on the same principle as inkjet printers, which use tiny nozzles to spray droplets of ink onto a surface. Inkjet bioprinters use similar nozzles to spray droplets of bioink, which is a mixture of cells and biomaterials, onto a substrate. The droplets are usually solidified by thermal or chemical means after deposition. Inkjet bioprinters can print with high speed and resolution, but they may also cause damage to the cells due to the high pressure and temperature involved in the printing process. Inkjet bioprinters are suitable for printing thin layers of cells or tissues, but they may have difficulty printing complex 3D structures.

Some examples of inkjet bioprinters are:

• RegenHU BioFactory: This is a modular and scalable bioprinting platform that can integrate multiple inkjet printheads and other modules to create customized solutions for different applications.
• Cellink Bio X6: This is a versatile and user-friendly bioprinter that can print with up to six different bioinks simultaneously using inkjet or extrusion technologies.
• Poietis NGB-R: This is a high-precision bioprinter that uses laser-assisted bioprinting to print droplets of bioink with controlled size and position.

Extrusion Bioprinters

Extrusion bioprinters are based on the same principle as extrusion 3D printers, which use a motorized syringe or screw to push out a filament of material through a nozzle onto a surface. Extrusion bioprinters use similar syringes or screws to push out a filament of bioink onto a substrate. The bioink is usually cross-linked or solidified by light, temperature, or chemical means after deposition. Extrusion bioprinters can print with high viscosity and volume, but they may also cause shear stress to the cells due to the high force involved in the printing process. Extrusion bioprinters are suitable for printing thick layers of cells or tissues, but they may have difficulty printing fine details or gradients.

Some examples of extrusion bioprinters are:

• EnvisionTEC 3D Bioplotter: This is one of the most established and widely used bioprinters in the market, which can print with up to five different bioinks simultaneously using pneumatic or mechanical extrusion.
• Allevi 3: This is a compact and affordable bioprinter that can print with up to three different bioinks simultaneously using pneumatic extrusion.
• Axolotl A6: This is a modular and flexible bioprinter that can print with up to six different bioinks simultaneously using pneumatic or mechanical extrusion.

Laser Bioprinters

Laser bioprinters are based on the principle of laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT), which uses a laser beam to transfer droplets of bioink from a donor substrate to an acceptor substrate. The laser beam heats up a thin layer of metal or polymer on the donor substrate, which creates a bubble that propels the bioink droplet onto the acceptor substrate. The bioink droplet is usually cross-linked or solidified by light, temperature, or chemical means after deposition. Laser bioprinters can print with high accuracy and resolution, but they may also cause thermal damage to the cells due to the high energy involved in the printing process. Laser bioprinters are suitable for printing precise patterns of cells or tissues, but they may have difficulty printing large volumes or 3D structures.

Some examples of laser bioprinters are:

• RegenHU BioFactory: This is a modular and scalable bioprinting platform that can integrate multiple laser printheads and other modules to create customized solutions for different applications.
• Poietis NGB-R: This is a high-precision bioprinter that uses laser-assisted bioprinting to print droplets of bioink with controlled size and position.
• [Cyfuse Regenova]: This is a unique bioprinter that uses laser-assisted bioprinting to print spheroids of cells, which are then fused together to form 3D tissue constructs.

These are some of the different types of bioprinters available in the market now, but there are also other types and variations that are being developed and improved. Bioprinting is a rapidly evolving field that offers many opportunities and challenges for researchers, engineers, and clinicians. Bioprinters are not only machines, but tools that can enable the creation of living tissues and organs that can potentially change the future of medicine.