The advent of three-dimensional (3D) Bioprinting increased the need for a suitable bioink in which Cells can live, proliferate and generate specific tissue and organ. Therefore, bioinks must have several physical and chemical characteristics that depend on the bioprinting modality and the target tissue. Alginate is considered a promising biomaterial for bioprinting due to its distinct physicochemical properties and diverse biological functions. However, some characteristics, such as cell adherence and biodegradability, are lacking, which can compensate when combined with other biomaterials, for example, gelatin, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMa), cellulose, silk fibroin, and hyaluronic acid. The alginate–gelatin blend receives considerable attention since gelatin has Arginine, Glycine, and Aspartate, the tripeptide Arg–Gly–Asp (RGD) sequence that could sustain cell attachment. Some parameters assist the optimization of bioink features like temperature, biomaterials' concentration, and crosslinking time. For instance, the viscosity of alginate increases by enhancing its concentration, and while it exhibits shear thinning property, it will be printed correctly. This review interprets the alginate-based bioink, focusing on its composite with other natural biomaterials, especially gelatin. Also, it discusses the parameters that affect bioink functionality and cell viability.
JiangTMunguia-LopezJFlores-TorresS, et al.Bioprintable alginate/gelatin hydrogel 3D in vitro model systems induce cell spheroid formation. J. Vis. Exp2018; 2018: 57826.
2.
Camci-Unal AKaG. 3D bioprinting in regenerative engineering: principle and applications. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2018.
3.
AhangarPCookeMEWeberMH, et al.Current biomedical applications of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Appl Sci2019; 9: 1713.
4.
MonteroFERezendeRAda SilvaJVL, et al.Development of a smart bioink for bioprinting applications. Front Mech EngineeringOriginal Res2019; 5: 56. DOI: 10.3389/fmech.2019.00056.
MironovV. Printing technology to produce living tissue. Expert Opin Biol Ther2003; 3: 701–704.
11.
BolandTMironovVGutowskaA, et al.Cell and organ printing 2: fusion of cell aggregates in three‐dimensional gels. Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol2003; 272: 497–502.
12.
GuZFuJLinH, et al.Development of 3D bioprinting: from printing methods to biomedical applications. Asian J Pharm Sci2020; 15: 529–557.
13.
GrollJBurdickJAChoD-W, et al.A definition of bioinks and their distinction from biomaterial inks. Biofabtrication2018; 11: 013001.
14.
Gungor-OzkerimPSInciIZhangYS, et al.Bioinks for 3D bioprinting: an overview. Biomater Sci2018; 6: 915–946.
15.
GatenholmPMartinezHAmorosoEM, et al.Development of nanocellulose-based bioinks for 3D bioprinting of soft tissue. In: OvsianikovAYooJMironovV. (eds) 3D Printing and Biofabrication. Cham: Springer, 2018, pp. 331–352.
16.
El-SherbinyIMYacoubMH. Hydrogel scaffolds for tissue engineering: progress and challenges. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract2013; 2013: 317–342.
17.
HuWWangZXiaoY, et al.Advances in crosslinking strategies of biomedical hydrogels. Biomater Sci2018; 7(3): 843–855.
18.
AshammakhiNAhadianSXuC, et al.Bioinks and bioprinting technologies to make heterogeneous and biomimetic tissue constructs. Mater Today Bio2019; 1: 100008.
19.
RastogiPKandasubramanianB. Review of alginate-based hydrogel bioprinting for application in tissue engineering. Biofabrication2019; 11: 042001.
20.
GopinathanJNohI. Recent trends in bioinks for 3D printing. Biomater Res2018; 22: 11–15.
21.
AxpeEOyenML. Applications of alginate-based bioinks in 3D bioprinting. Int J Mol Sci2016; 17: 1976.
22.
CuomoFCofeliceMLopezF. Rheological characterization of hydrogels from alginate-based nanodispersion. Polymers2019; 11: 259.
23.
FreemanFEKellyDJ. Tuning alginate bioink stiffness and composition for controlled growth factor delivery and to spatially direct MSC fate within bioprinted tissues. Sci Rep2017; 7: 17042.
24.
SongS-JChoiJParkY-D, et al.Sodium alginate hydrogel-based bioprinting using a novel multinozzle bioprinting system. Artif Organs2011; 35: 1132–1136.
25.
BouhadirKHLeeKYAlsbergE, et al.Degradation of partially oxidized alginate and its potential application for tissue engineering. Biotechnol Prog2001; 17: 945–950.
26.
GomezCGRinaudoMVillarMA. Oxidation of sodium alginate and characterization of then oxidized derivatives. Carbohydr Polym2006; 67: 296–304.
27.
BoontheekulTKongH-JMooneyDJ. Controlling alginate gel degradation utilizing partial oxidation and bimodal molecular weight distribution. Biomaterials2005; 26: 2455–2465.
28.
OuyangLYaoRZhaoY, et al.Effect of bioink properties on printability and cell viability for 3D bioplotting of embryonic stem cells. Biofabrication2016; 8: 035020.
29.
MondalAGebeyehuAMirandaM, et al.Characterization and printability of sodium alginate-gelatin hydrogel for bioprinting NSCLC co-culture. Sci Rep2019; 9: 19914.
30.
ChungJHYNaficySYueZ, et al.Bio-ink properties and printability for extrusion printing living cells. Biomater Sci2013; 1: 763–773.
31.
BociagaDBartniakMGrabarczykJ, et al.Sodium alginate/gelatine hydrogels for direct bioprinting—the effect of composition selection and applied solvents on the bioink properties. Materials2019; 12: 2669.
32.
JiaJRichardsDJPollardS, et al.Engineering alginate as bioink for bioprinting. Acta Biomater2014; 10: 4323–4331.
33.
LiuWZhongZHuN, et al.Coaxial extrusion bioprinting of 3D microfibrous constructs with cell-favorable gelatin methacryloyl microenvironments. Biofabrication2017; 10: 024102.
34.
ColosiCShinSRManoharanV, et al.Microfluidic bioprinting of heterogeneous 3D tissue constructs using low‐viscosity bioink. Adv Mater2016; 28: 677–684.
35.
ZhuKChenNLiuX, et al.A general strategy for extrusion bioprinting of bio‐macromolecular bioinks through alginate‐templated dual‐stage crosslinking. Macromol Biosci2018; 18: e1800127.
36.
ShinSIkramMSubhanF, et al.Alginate–marine collagen–agarose composite hydrogels as matrices for biomimetic 3D cell spheroid formation. RSC Adv2016; 6: 46952–46965.
37.
NormandVLootensDLAmiciE, et al.New insight into agarose gel mechanical properties. Biomacromolecules2000; 1: 730–738.
38.
UlrichTAJainATannerK, et al.Probing cellular mechanobiology in three-dimensional culture with collagen–agarose matrices. Biomaterials2010; 31: 1875–1884.
39.
LeeCHSinglaALeeY. Biomedical applications of collagen. Int J Pharm2001; 221: 1–22.
40.
MarkstedtKMantasATournierI, et al.3D bioprinting human chondrocytes with nanocellulose–alginate bioink for cartilage tissue engineering applications. Biomacromolecules2015; 16: 1489–1496.
41.
SiqueiraGKokkinisDLibanoriR, et al.Cellulose nanocrystal inks for 3D printing of textured cellular architectures. Adv Funct Mater2017; 27: 1604619.
42.
MelkeJMidhaSGhoshS, et al.Silk fibroin as biomaterial for bone tissue engineering. Acta Biomater2016; 31: 1–16.
43.
CompaanAMChristensenKHuangY. Inkjet bioprinting of 3D silk fibroin cellular constructs using sacrificial alginate. ACS Biomater Sci Eng2017; 3: 1519–1526.
44.
KnudsonCB. Hyaluronan and CD44: strategic players for cell–matrix interactions during chondrogenesis and matrix assembly. Birth Defects Res C Embryo Today2003; 69: 174–196.
45.
OzbolatITHospodiukM. Current advances and future perspectives in extrusion-based bioprinting. Biomaterials2016; 76: 321–343.
46.
AntichCde VicenteJJiménezG, et al.Bio-inspired hydrogel composed of hyaluronic acid and alginate as a potential bioink for 3D bioprinting of articular cartilage engineering constructs. Acta Biomater2020; 106: 114–123.
47.
SánchezEMGómez-BlancoJCNietoEL, et al.Hydrogels for bioprinting: a systematic review of hydrogels synthesis, bioprinting parameters, and bioprinted structures behavior. Front Bioeng. Biotechnol2020; 8: 776.
48.
GillispieGPrimPCopusJ, et al.Assessment methodologies for extrusion-based bioink printability. Biofabrication2020; 12: 022003.
49.
HospodiukMDeyMSosnoskiD, et al.The bioink: a comprehensive review on bioprintable materials. Biotechnol Adv2017; 35: 217–239.
50.
GaoTGillispieGJCopusJS, et al.Optimization of gelatin–alginate composite bioink printability using rheological parameters: a systematic approach. Biofabrication2018; 10: 034106.
51.
KumarASrivastavaAGalaevIY, et al.Smart polymers: physical forms and bioengineering applications. Prog Polym Sci2007; 32: 1205–1237.
52.
GiuseppeMDLawNWebbB, et al.Mechanical behaviour of alginate-gelatin hydrogels for 3D bioprinting. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater2018; 79: 150–157.
53.
Al-ShamkhaniADuncanR. Radioiodination of alginate via covalently-bound tyrosinamide allows monitoring of its fate in vivo. J Bioact Compat Polym1995; 10: 4–13.
ChawlaDKaurTJoshiA, et al.3D bioprinted alginate-gelatin based scaffolds for soft tissue engineering. Int J Biol Macromol2020; 144: 560–567.
56.
TheusASNingLHwangB, et al.Bioprintability: physiomechanical and biological requirements of materials for 3d bioprinting processes. Polymers2020; 12: 2262.
57.
ValotLMartinezJMehdiA, et al.Chemical insights into bioinks for 3D printing. Chem Soc Rev2019; 48: 4049–4086.
58.
FreshneyRI. Culture of animal cells: a manual of basic technique and specialized applications. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
59.
EvansBCNelsonCEShannSY, et al.Ex vivo red blood cell hemolysis assay for the evaluation of pH-responsive endosomolytic agents for cytosolic delivery of biomacromolecular drugs. J Vis Exp2013; 73: e50166.
60.
CapinLAbbassiNLachatM, et al.Encapsulation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in calcium alginate maintains clonogenicity and enhances their secretory profile. Int J Mol Sci2020; 21: 6316.
61.
DuanBHockadayLAKangKH, et al.3D bioprinting of heterogeneous aortic valve conduits with alginate/gelatin hydrogels. J Biomed Mater Res A2013; 101: 1255–1264.
62.
PaxtonNSmolanWBöckT, et al.Proposal to assess printability of bioinks for extrusion-based bioprinting and evaluation of rheological properties governing bioprintability. Biofabrication2017; 9: 044107.
