Recent advances in bioprinting technologies for engineering hepatic tissue
Tarun Agarwal, Dishary Banerjee, Rocktotpal Konwarh, Timothy Esworthy, Jyoti Kumari, Valentina Onesto, Prativa Das, Bae Hoon Lee, Frank A. D. T. G. Wagener, Pooyan Makvandi, Virgilio Mattoli, Sudip Kumar Ghosh, Tapas K. Maiti, Lijie Grace Zhang, İbrahim T. Özbolat
Abstract
In the sphere of liver tissue engineering (LTE), 3D bioprinting has emerged as an effective technology to mimic the complex in vivo hepatic microenvironment, enabling the development of functional 3D constructs with potential application in the healthcare and diagnostic sector. This review gears off with a note on the liver's microscopic 3D architecture and pathologies linked to liver injury. The write-up is then directed towards unmasking recent advancements and prospects of bioprinting for recapitulating 3D hepatic structure and function. The article further introduces available stem cell opportunities and different strategies for their directed differentiation towards various hepatic stem cell types, including hepatocytes, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, stellate cells, and Kupffer cells. Another thrust of the article is on understanding the dynamic interplay of different hepatic cells with various microenvironmental cues, which is crucial for controlling differentiation, maturation, and maintenance of functional hepatic cell phenotype. On a concluding note, various critical issues and future research direction towards clinical translation of bioprinted hepatic constructs are discussed. • Implications of bioprinting technologies in hepatic tissue engineering • Highlighting the strategies to direct stem cells towards different hepatic lineages • Delineating the impact of various microenvironmental cues on hepatic cell fate • Discussion extended towards both parenchymal and non-parenchymal hepatic cells.