What is 3D tissue?

3D tissue is tissue that is generated through the process of 3D bioprinting. The procedure involves using a material known as bioink to build a 3D tissue in a layer-by-layer manner on the basis of data obtained from a computer-aided design (CAD). This groundbreaking technique in tissue engineering allows the fabrication of living constructs with an unprecedented degree of accuracy and complexity. It has already been used for the generation and transplantation of several tissues, including heart tissue, vascular grafts, multilayered skin, cartilaginous structures and tracheal splints.

While this technique greatly facilitates the construction of native tissue-like structures, there are still substantial differences between existing 3D printed constructs and actual tissues and organs, particularly in microscale structures such as vascular networks.