What is hydrogel in bioprinting?

Abstract. Hydrogels are highly hydrated polymeric networks used in tissue engineering to homogenously encapsulate cells and other biological molecules. This class of biomaterials is of particular interest because of their structural similarity to a cell’s natural extracellular matrix.

Why are hydrogels used in tissue engineering?

Hydrogels have been used as one of the most common tissue engineering scaffolds over the past two decades due to their ability to maintain a distinct 3D structure, to provide mechanical support for the cells in the engineered tissues, and to simulate the native extracellular matrix.

What is hydrogel matrix?

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional (3D) network of hydrophilic polymers that can swell in water and hold a large amount of water while maintaining the structure due to chemical or physical cross-linking of individual polymer chains. Hydrogels were first reported by Wichterle and Lím (1960) [1].

Are bioinks hydrogels?

Hydrogels are a natural choice of bioink materials for cellular printing because they can provide a highly hydrated and permeable 3D polymeric structure conducive to cellular anchorage and metabolic activities.

What are the properties of hydrogels?

The synthesized hydrogels have significant properties, such as mechanical strength, biocompatibility, biodegradability, swellability, and stimuli sensitivity. These properties are substantial for electrochemical and biomedical applications.

What are smart hydrogels?

Smart hydrogels, or stimuli-responsive hydrogels, are three-dimensional networks composed of crosslinked hydrophilic polymer chains that are able to dramatically change their volume and other properties in response to environmental stimuli such as temperature, pH and certain chemicals.

What are synthetic hydrogels?

The polymer chains in a hydrogel cross-link with each other chemically via covalent bonds or physically via non-covalent interactions to produce the network structure. Hydrogels can also absorb a wide range of solvents other than water. Hydrogels comprise natural polymers or synthetic polymers.

What hydrogels are used for?

Hydrogels are used for producing contact lenses, hygiene products and wound dressings. Other commercial uses of hydrogels are in drug delivery and tissue engineering. More developments are expected in drug delivery and tissue engineering. High production costs of hydrogels are limiting their further commercialization.

What is hydrogel good for?

Hydrogels are recommended for wounds that range from dry to mildly exudating and can be used to degrade slough on the wound surface. Hydrogels have a marked cooling and soothing effect on the skin, which is valuable in burns and painful wounds.

How are hydrogels created?

The production of polymeric hydrogels is typically accomplished by one of two well-established schemes: (a) polymerization of hydrophilic monomers and (b) modification or functionalization of existing polymers (natural or artificial).