Here we are again with our Top 10 lists of 3D printers. This time we ventured into the exceedingly complex world of 3D bioprinting. Most commercially available 3D bioprinters are based on some proprietary version of a basic syringe/pressure-based extrusion of both paste-like polymeric substances and hydrogels (also known as bioinks in certain cases), which are basically gel-like substances containing high quantities of water and living cells. There are several variations and alternatives, but not always are these differences made public by the companies behind them.
Once again, we based our classification on entirely subjective evaluations based on how well known the 3D bioprinter is and how often we run into it being used for bioengineering and biomaterials research or other applications. Similarly, the list is actually a list of all the bioprinters (and bioprinting devices) that we are aware of and that are either commercially available or that are used to make commercial bioproducts. The list does not include two very fascinating projects which have not yet arrived on the market such as the ultra low-cost and open source machine by
The list also does not take into consideration the many University-developed 3D printers which are used internally and only for research. This is one of the widest areas of development. For example South Korea’s Postech University’s
Image source: Tech Crunch
Organovo’s Switzerland-based RegenHU is probably one of the companies most focused on the the commercial aspect of 3D bioprinters and bioprinting consumables. It provides Like Organovo’s NovoGen MMX,
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In magnetic levitation, cells are magnetized with NanoShuttle-PL (which consists of gold, iron oxide, and poly-L-lysine and magnetizes cells by electrostatically attaching to cell membranes) through overnight incubation and dispensed into a cell-repellent, multiwell plate, where they are levitated off the bottom of the dish by a magnet above the plate. In levitating cells off the bottom of a multiwell plate, the magnetic forces work as an invisible scaffold that rapidly aggregates cells, and induces cell-cell interactions and ECM synthesis. The 3D culture is formed without any artificial substrate or specialized media or equipment and can be cultured long-term. Additionally, adding and removing solutions is made easy by the use of magnets to hold down 3D cultures when removing solutions, limiting culture loss. 3D cultures can also be picked up and transferred between vessels using magnetic tools such as the MagPen.
If you are in the market for a serious 3D bioprinter now, though, this might help you focus in on what you are looking for. If you are working on developing your own system, these are some of the top competitors you will be facing. And, who knows, maybe in twenty years, you’ll have something like you see in the animated .gif from The Fifth Element posted above.
*This article was modified on August 26th to include the BioBot 1 Bioprinter and on August 27th to include new details about the BioBots Beta program and official launch date.
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