3D bioprinting techniques and hydrogels for osteochondral integration regeneration

Despite considerable advancements in regenerative medicine, restoring the osteochondral interface and facilitating the integration of osteochondral regeneration remain significant clinical conundrums. This challenge is predominantly attributed to the scarcity of appropriate tissue engineering materials for replacing osteochondral defects and facilitating tissue regeneration. 3D bioprinting constitutes a promising approach for bone fabrication, as it not only allows for the design of precise personalized scaffolds but also encapsulates cells and growth factors, with the potential to replicate the functions of native tissues. Many critical properties of hydrogels, such as their mechanical properties, elasticity, and bioactivity, make them the most prevalently utilized bioinks in tissue engineering. In addition, their structure can be easily adjusted to meet the needs of different situations. Therefore, 3D-bioprinted hydrogel scaffolds may have promising prospects for integrated osteochondral repair and are receiving increasing attention. In this review, we describe the current problems encountered in the field of osteochondral integration repair and review the latest advances in current 3D printing technology and 3D bioprinting hydrogel scaffolds. We propose prospects for the development of novel 3D-bioprinted hydrogel scaffolds, providing cues for future research directions.