3D打印技术制备器官芯片的研究现状

器官芯片是一种新兴的体外生物模型,在生物医学领域有重要的应用前景。但是,相关研究的开展通常受限于器官芯片繁琐和昂贵的制备过程。近年来,科研工作者借助3D打印技术,实现器官芯片制备的简易化、低成本化,以及芯片结构复杂化和成型一体化。这一技术的突破,有力推动器官芯片相关研究的发展,为其在生物医学领域的广泛应用提供有力支持。综述3D打印制备器官芯片的研究现状,主要包括器官芯片的发展背景、传统制造方法的局限性、 3D打印器官芯片的技术分类及其生物医学应用。列举5种基于不同成型原理的3D打印方法,归纳比较各方法的工艺特点以及制备器官芯片时的适用范围,探讨3D打印制备肝、肾、血管、心脏等器官芯片的具体实例和效果。最后分析该技术的不足之处, 并展望这一领域的发展趋势。

Fabrication of Organ-on-a-Chip by 3D Printing Technology

Organ-on-a-chip is an emerging in vitro biological model with great prospects in biomedical researches. However, its development is often limited by the cumbersome and expensive fabrication process. Recently, researchers have adopted 3D printing technology into the fabrication and therefore made this process simpler and less expensive. Besides, this strategy also increased the complexity of chip structure and allowed the one-step fabrication. 3D printing technology has strongly promoted organ-on-a-chip related researches and contributed to its wide application. This paper reviewed the research status of 3D printing technology in the fabrication of organ-on-a-chip, including the development background of organ-on-a-chip, limitations of traditional fabrication methods, the technical classification and biomedical applications of 3D printing technology.Five 3D printing methods were listed based on different forming principles, and their characteristics and applications in chip fabrication were compared as well. Besides, the applications of 3D printing technology in the construction of liver, kidney, blood vessel, heart and other organs-on-chips were also discussed. Finally, we concluded with our thoughts on the challenges and future perspectives of this technology.