3D-bioprinted in vitro disease models

Abstract

The development of new and more efficient approaches to tackle a myriad of human diseases has been extensively pursued. The development of in vitro models has emerged as a promising approach capable to emulate important features of disease etiology and progression, facilitating the production and screening of new therapies. Recently, 3D bioprinting, an extension of additive manufacturing technique, has introduced a new dimension to 3D in vitro models by allowing the generation of highly controlled complex in vitro models. The bioprinting technique has been especially relevant in the cancer field as it allows to mimic the complex environment that cancer cells are subjected to, disclosing important insights concerning cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. In addition, the generation of such complex in vitro models has been crucial to step forward new therapiesâ discovery, decreasing significantly the associated costs with drug development and fasten the translation of new therapies into the clinics.