Table 2.

Advantages and disadvantages of bioinks

Bioink	Advantages		Disadvantages
Hyaluronic acid/HAMA	Mimics the natural ECM	• High viscosity • Shear-thinning property • Photo-cross-linking • Easily modifiable to enhance cell regulatory activities	• Highly hydrophilic • Not mechanically stable • Slow gelation rate
Collagen		• Biodegradability • ECM-mimic material in clinical application	• Gelation depends on its concentration
Gelatin/GelMA		• Good biological activity • Better printability • Shear-thinning behavior • Photo-cross-linking	• Liquifies at physiological temperatures • Poor mechanical properties
dECM/Matrigel		• Biochargeable paper • Good biological activity	• Matrigel is obtained from murine sarcoma cells • Limited applicability for clinical translation (only Matrigel)
DNA material	• Better mechanical strength • Shear-thinning behavior • Maintain cellular activity		• High cost
Agarose	• Better cell compatibility • pH response • Thermal gelling property		• Lack of cell adhesion motifs • Non-degradable
Nano-crystalline cellulose	• Shear-thinning behavior • Fast cross-linking • Relatively high stiffness		• Lower shape fidelity if cells are added • Lower cell viability
Alginate	As sacrificial structure • Better printability and rheological properties • Gels at room temperature • Dissolves when cooled	• Fast gelation property under physiological conditions • Lesser harmful byproducts • Reduced laser-induced shock during laser printing process	• Biological inert material • Slow degradation when not cross-linked • Low mechanical strength
Pluronic F-127	• Poor biocompatibility

HAMA: Hyaluronic acid methacrylate, dECM: Decellularized extracellular matrix, DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, ECM: Extracellular matrix