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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Trends Biotechnol. 2012 Dec 19;31(1):10–19. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2012.10.005

Table 1.

Applications, advantages, and limitations of printing stem cells and biomolecules

Printing Stem Cells Refs Printing Biomolecules Refs
Applications
Single stem cell genomics [26] Protein and DNA arrays [31]
Patches for wound healing [22] Tissue engineering applications (e.g., guiding and maximizing stem cell growth in a wound site) [32]
Ex vivo generation of tissue replacement [36]
Advantages over current methodsa
Programmable [1, 5, 7] Programmable (no custom stamps are required) [1, 7, 31]
Inexpensive [1, 5, 7] Inexpensive [1, 7, 31]
3-D complexity [1, 5, 7] Noncontact (reduces the risk of cross-contamination originating from surface) [31]
High-throughput [1, 5, 7] No requirement for any modifications to the proteins or substrates [31]
Limitations
Cytocompatibile [1, 3] The resolution is lower compared with the state of-the-art protein array technologies (e.g., micro-contact printing, resolution is less than 100 nm) [31]
Viscosity [3, 54] The number of available binding sites on the receiving substrate [31]
Cytocompatibile [1, 3]
Viscosity [30]
a

Printing stem cells is advantageous over centrifugal or molding techniques; Printing biomolecules is advantageous over open spotting, soft lithography, photolithography.

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