A comprehensive review of polymeric bioinks for vat photopolymerization 3D bioprinting: Theories, current advances, progress, and pharmaceutic applications

Abstract

Polymeric bioinks utilized in vat photopolymerization 3D bioprinting represent a novel technology in pharmaceutical applications, enabling the precise creation of complex drug delivery systems and groundbreaking approaches to personalized medicine. Vat photopolymerization methods regulate the polymerization of photosensitive bioinks by sequentially creating precise layers through light exposure. These polymeric bioinks are formulated from biocompatible materials comprising polymers, photoinitiators, photoabsorbers, plasticizers, and additives. Frequently utilized biocompatible polymers comprise gelatin methacryloyl, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, and hyaluronic acid methacrylate. Critical parameters for these bioinks and the printing process include viscosity, temperature, printability, and fidelity, as well as mechanical properties, light intensity, exposure time, layer thickness, and post-processing. In pharmaceuticals, vat photopolymerization, a significant breakthrough in personalized medicine, is used to construct drug delivery devices for drug discovery and screening. Due to the high precision of this technology, it is possible to manufacture dosage forms with the desired release profile tailored to the patient, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the drug and patient compliance. Polymeric bioinks thus offer a novel approach to the production of pharmaceuticals through vat photopolymerization 3D bioprinting. Additional research has been directed toward the optimization of bioink characteristics to improve clinical outcomes and the customization of healthcare, revolutionizing the medical and pharmaceutical landscape through synergistic 3D bioprinting.