# Biofabrication

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Biofabrication
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Biofabrication.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofabrication
> Source revision: 1355670992
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Scientific field}}
{{for|the journal|Biofabrication (journal)}}

'''Biofabrication''' is a branch of [biotechnology](/source/biotechnology) specialising in the [research and development](/source/research_and_development) of [biologically engineered](/source/Biological_engineering) processes for the [automated](/source/Automation) production of biologically functional products through [bioprinting](/source/3D_bioprinting) or bioassembly and subsequent [tissue maturation](/source/tissue_maturation) processes;{{Sfnp|Moroni|Boland|Burdick|De Maria|2018}} as well as techniques such as directed assembly, which employs localised external stimuli guide the [fabrication](/source/Manufacturing) process; [enzymatic](/source/Enzyme) assembly, which utilises selective [biocatalyst](/source/biocatalyst)s to build [macromolecular structure](/source/Macromolecular_assembly)s; and [self-assembly](/source/self-assembly), in which the biological material guides its own assembly according to its internal information.{{Sfnp|Yi|Wu|Bentley|Ghodssi|2005}} These processes may facilitate fabrication at the micro- and [nanoscale](/source/Nanotechnology)s.{{Sfnp|Yi|Wu|Bentley|Ghodssi|2005}} Biofabricated products are constructed and structurally organised with a range of biological materials including [bioactive molecule](/source/Bioactive_compound)s, [biomaterial](/source/biomaterial)s, [living cell](/source/living_cell)s, cell aggregates such as micro-[tissue](/source/Tissue_(biology))s and micro-[organs on chips](/source/organs_on_chips), and hybrid cell-material constructs.{{Sfnp|Moroni|Boland|Burdick|De Maria|2018}}

Biofabrication is defined as "the automated generation of biologically functional products with structural organisation from living cells, bioactive molecules, biomaterials, cell aggregates such as microtissues, or hybrid cell material constructs, through bioprinting or bioassembly and subsequent tissue maturation processes" by the [International Society for Biofabrication](/source/International_Society_for_Biofabrication) (ISBF).{{sfnp|Groll|Boland|Blunk|Burdick|2016}}

== Techniques in biofabrication ==
[Bioprinting](/source/Bioprinting): This method uses computer-aided design to layer living cells and biomaterials, constructing complex three-dimensional structures that mimic natural tissues. Bioprinting allows for precise placement of multiple cell types, enabling the creation of heterogeneous tissue structures.{{sfnp|Naghieh|Lindberg|Tamaddon|Liu|2021}}

Biofabrication allows researchers to combine fabrication techniques with 2D/3D printing and biomanufacturing and bioassembly of living 3D functional biological products using smart and [cytocompatible](/source/cytocompatible) biomaterials.{{sfnp|Naghieh|Lindberg|Tamaddon|Liu|2021}}

== Applications in regenerative medicine ==
Scientists are developing techniques to biofabricate tissues and organs to combat the global shortage of [organ donor](/source/organ_donor)s. By creating scaffolds that support cell growth and differentiation simple tissues like skin and cartilage have been developed and are already used in clinical settings. These [engineered tissue](/source/engineered_tissue)s can be used for [transplantation](/source/Transplantation_(medicine)) or as models for [drug testing](/source/drug_testing). Despite this progress in tissue engineering there are still big drawbacks in producing complex and functional 3D tissues and organs especial the organs that are urgently needed in transplants applications.{{sfnp|Ahadian|Khademhosseini|2018}}

Advancements in bioprinting have led to the fabrication of organ-like structures, such as liver and kidney tissues. This promotes faster healing and fewer post-transplant complications as they are custom made from the patients cells so this eliminate graft rejection. While fully functional [printed organs](/source/Organ_printing) for transplantation remain a future goal, current progress indicates significant potential for addressing organ shortages.{{sfnp|Shin|2022}}{{better source needed|date=February 2026|reason=This appears to be a high school student's report. Being on arXiv does't make it an appropriate academic source.}}

== Challenges and future directions ==

''[In vivo](/source/In_vivo)'' regeneration often results in fibrous tissues with poor nutrient supply and poor blood flow. Using [bio-ink](/source/bio-ink)s such as [GelMA](/source/GelMA) enables controlled extracorporeal organ fabrication with precise tissue assembly and maturation before implantation.{{sfnp|Naghieh|Lindberg|Tamaddon|Liu|2021}} However, functional engineered organs face challenges as researchers do not have any control with the natural process after implantation. Therefore, biofabrication is aimed at extracorporeal organ engineering where tissue formation can be under human controlled conditions.{{sfnp|Naghieh|Lindberg|Tamaddon|Liu|2021}} Significant technological challenges exists, although 3D printing organs have advanced there is still need for it to have better biocompatibility and biofunctionality. Even though there as some successful trails and small implications today the big application of 3D printing organs does not fulfil those two criteria. Thus, researchers are facing challenges in finding materials they fulfil both.{{sfnp|Shin|2022}}{{better source needed|date=February 2026|reason=This appears to be a high school student's report. Being on arXiv does't make it an appropriate academic source.}}

== See also ==
{{Columnslist|colwidth=25em|
* {{annotated link|Biofabrication (journal)}}
* {{annotated link|Bionics}}
* {{annotated link|Biosensor}}
* {{annotated link|Organ culture}}
* {{annotated link|Synthetic biology}}
* {{annotated link|Tissue engineering}}
* {{annotated link|CRISPR gene editing}}
}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Works cited ===
{{Refbegin|indent=yes}}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Ahadian |first1=Samad |last2=Khademhosseini |first2=Ali |date=2018 |title=A Perspective on 3D Bioprinting in Tissue Regeneration |journal=Bio-Design and Manufacturing |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=157–160 |doi=10.1007/s42242-018-0020-3 |pmid=30906618 |pmc=6426323 }}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Groll |first1=Jürgen |last2=Boland |first2=Thomas |last3=Blunk |first3=Torsten |last4=Burdick |first4=Jason A. |last5=Cho |first5=Dong-Woo |last6=Dalton |first6=Paul D. |last7=Derby |first7=Brian |last8=Forgacs |first8=Gabor |last9=Li |first9=Qing |last10=Mironov |first10=Vladimir A. |last11=Moroni |first11=Lorenzo |last12=Nakamura |first12=Makoto |last13=Shu |first13=Wenmiao |last14=Takeuchi |first14=Shoji |last15=Vozzi |first15=Giovanni |last16=Woodfield |first16=Tim B F. |last17=Xu |first17=Tao |last18=Yoo |first18=James J. |last19=Malda |first19=Jos |title=Biofabrication: Reappraising the definition of an evolving field |journal=Biofabrication |date=2016 |volume=8 |issue=1 |article-number=013001 |doi=10.1088/1758-5090/8/1/013001 |pmid=26744832 }}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Moroni |first1=Lorenzo |last2=Boland |first2=Thomas |last3=Burdick |first3=Jason A. |last4=De Maria |first4=Carmelo |last5=Derby |first5=Brian |last6=Forgacs |first6=Gabor |last7=Groll |first7=Jürgen |last8=Li |first8=Qing |last9=Malda |first9=Jos |last10=Mironov |first10=Vladimir A. |last11=Mota |first11=Carlos |last12=Nakamura |first12=Makoto |last13=Shu |first13=Wenmiao |last14=Takeuchi |first14=Shoji |last15=Woodfield |first15=Tim B.F. |date=2018 |title=Biofabrication: A Guide to Technology and Terminology |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0167779917302792 |journal=Trends in Biotechnology |volume=36 |issue=4 |pages=384–402 |doi=10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.10.015 |pmid=29137814|s2cid=3704554 |hdl=11568/885392 |hdl-access=free }}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Naghieh |first1=Saman |last2=Lindberg |first2=Gabriella |last3=Tamaddon |first3=Maryam |last4=Liu |first4=Chaozong |date=2021-09-10 |title=Biofabrication Strategies for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Evolution towards Clinical Applications |journal=Bioengineering |language=en |volume=8 |issue=9 |pages=123 |doi=10.3390/bioengineering8090123 |doi-access=free |pmid=34562945 |pmc=8466376 |issn=2306-5354}}
* {{Cite arXiv|last=Shin |first=Alicia |title=The History, Current Status, Benefits, and Challenges of 3D Printed Organs |date=2022-12-27 |class=q-bio.TO |eprint=2207.13212 }}{{better source needed|date=February 2026|reason=This appears to be a high school student's report. Being on arXiv does't make it an appropriate academic source.}}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Yi |first1=Hyunmin |last2=Wu |first2=Li-Qun |last3=Bentley |first3=William E. |last4=Ghodssi |first4=Reza |last5=Rubloff |first5=Gary W. |last6=Culver |first6=James N. |last7=Payne |first7=Gregory F. |date=2005 |title=Biofabrication with Chitosan |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/bm050410l |journal=Biomacromolecules |volume=6 |issue=6 |pages=2881–2894 |doi=10.1021/bm050410l |pmid=16283704 |issn=1525-7797|url-access=subscription }}
{{Refend}}

{{Biotechnology}}
{{Emerging technologies|biomed=yes}}

Category:Biological engineering

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Biofabrication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofabrication) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofabrication?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.