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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2023 Jul 11.
Published in final edited form as: Cell. 2021 Jan 7;184(1):18–32. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.12.002

Table 2.

Comparison of different bioprinting technologies.

Bioprinting
technology		 Advantages Disadvantages
Extrusion bioprinting

  • Possible to create heterogenous constructs using multi-printhead bioprinters

  • Freedom of design, possible to create complex geometrical features

  • Relatively fast processing times

  • Wide variety of commercial printers available

  • Moderate cell density (challenging to approach organ level density)

  • Moderate feature size resolution (>100μm)

  • Bioink must possess suitable rheological behaviour
Lithography bioprinting

  • Possible to create high resolution features down to 5-10 μm

  • Freedom of design, possible to create highly complex geometrical features

  • Challenging to pattern heterogenous structures

  • Low cell density constructs

  • Bioink must be photocrosslinkable

  • Relatively slow processing times (note: emerging volumetric technologies overcome this limitation)

  • Limited availability of commercial printers
Spheroid bioprinting/
bioassembly

  • High cell density constructs

  • Possible to create heterogenous constructs with high spatial precision

  • Cells can be matured (i.e., the spheroid) prior to bioprinting

  • Slow processing times

  • Limited availability of commercial printers

  • Challenging to create highly complex geometries