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Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a family of rapid prototyping technologies, which assemble biomaterials, including cells and bioactive agents, under the control of a computer-aided design model in a layer-by-layer fashion. It has great potential in organ manufacturing areas with the combination of biology, polymers, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and mechanics. At present, 3D bioprinting technologies can be used to successfully print living tissues and organs, including blood vessels, skin, bones, cartilage, kidney, heart, and liver. The unique advantages of 3D bioprinting technologies for organ manufacturing have improved the traditional medical level significantly. In this article, we summarize the latest research progress of polymers in bioartificial organ 3D printing areas. The important characteristics of the printable polymers and the typical 3D bioprinting technologies for several complex bioartificial organs, such as the heart, liver, nerve, and skin, are introduced. Full article

Heart transplantation remains the only curative treatment for end-stage heart failure. This life-saving option continues to be limited by the low number of organ donors, graft rejection and adverse effects of immunosuppressants. Engineering bioartificial hearts from acellular native-derived scaffolds and stem cells has gained attention because of its potential to overcome these limitations. In this study, rat hearts (n = 20) were decellularized by means of coronary perfusion with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in a modified Langendorff device. The electrical field behavior of the SDS molecule was studied and it was assumed that when applying an alternating current, the exposure time of the tissue to the detergent might decrease. To repopulate the decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM), human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were used, induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes (CMs) with 5-azacytidine (5-aza). The results showed no cellular debris and an intact ECM following decellularization. Decellularization in the presence of an electric field proved to be faster, decreasing the potential risk of ECM damage due to the detergent. After cell seeding and culturing of eight scaffolds with hMSCs, the recellularization process was analyzed using optic microscopy (OM), which showed cells suggestive for CMs. This study presents a novel and efficient decellularization protocol using an electric field and suggests that hMSCs can be useful in the generation of a bioartificial heart. Full article