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. 2023 Jun 13;10:rbad060. doi: 10.1093/rb/rbad060

Table 1.

Representative bioinks for 3D bioprinting of skin

Bioink types Overview Cells used previously Advantages Disadvantages References

  • Collagen:

  • BD BioSciences

  • Advanced BioMatrix

  • Vitrogen

  • Flexcell

  • Corning

 Structural component of skin and connective tissue

  • NIH-3T3 fibroblasts

  • Human keratinocytes cell line (HaCaT)

  • Fibroblasts (HEF-1)

  • Neonatal epidermal keratinocytes

 Mechanical properties similar to native skin, enzymatically degradable and contains native cell adhesion ligands Acid soluble [44, 49, 59, 62, 65–70]

  • Gelatin:

  • Sigma-Aldrich

  • CELLINK®

 Protein formed by collagen hydrolysis

  • Keratinocytes

  • Fibroblasts

 Highly biocompatible, high water solubility, thermally reversible gelation Low shape fidelity and rigidity [71–74]

  • Fibrin:

  • Baxter

  • Johnson & Johnson

  • Sigma-Aldrich

 An insoluble protein used for blood clotting and sourced from human plasma

  • Keratinocytes

  • Fibroblasts

 Rapid gelation, biologically relevant, limited printability, enzymatically degradable Limited printability, low mechanics limit utility [65, 75]

  • Alginate:

  • NovaMatrix-3D PRONOVA

  • Sigma-Aldrich

 Sourced from brown algae and must be modified with adhesive ligands for cell attachment

  • Neonatal human foreskin fibroblasts

  • NIH-3T3 fibroblasts

 Ionic crosslinking enables cell encapsulation Covalent crosslinking required for strength [65, 75]
Chitosan Polysaccharide obtained by fungal fermentation or outer skeleton of animals

  • NIH-3T3 fibroblasts

  • Human keratinocytes cell line (HaCaT)

 High compatibility, antibacterial properties Slow gelation rate [76]
Hyraluronic acid (HA) Non-sulfated GAG present in connective, epithelial and neural tissues Combined with collagen, fibroblasts, keratinocytes and melanocytes Rapid gelation, cell proliferation promoter Low stability [65]