From Bioinks to Functional Tissues and Organs: Advances, Challenges, and the Promise of 3D Bioprinting

ABSTRACT 3D printing, particularly bioprinting, has emerged as a transformative technology in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, enabling the precise layer‐by‐layer fabrication of living tissues and complex biomaterials. Bioprinting has evolved through advances in printing methods such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), powder bed fusion (PBF), and jetting techniques, each offering distinct advantages for producing high‐resolution, functional constructs. Central to bioprinting is the development of bioinks, primarily composed of natural and synthetic polymers and microbial polysaccharides, which must balance biocompatibility, mechanical integrity, and printability to support viable cell encapsulation and tissue formation. Despite remarkable progress, challenges persist, including optimizing bioink viscosity, cell viability, scaffold structural and functional complexities (vascularization, in vivo functionality), degradation rates, and scalability, as well as addressing regulatory and ethical concerns. Recent innovations, such as cryogenic printing, offer promising solutions by preserving cell viability and enhancing structural fidelity under ultra‐low temperatures. While 3D printing holds immense potential to revolutionize personalized medicine, organ fabrication, and sustainable manufacturing, current technological, biological, and economic constraints temper expectations. Continued interdisciplinary research, material innovation, and refinement of printing technologies are essential to translate 3D bioprinting from experimental platforms to clinical and commercial realities, fulfilling its promise as a cornerstone of next‐generation regenerative therapies and advanced manufacturing.