Silk Fibroin Bioinks for Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D Bioprinting

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has been a highly influential technology in the field of tissue engineering to enable speedy and precise spatial patterning of cells, growth factors, and biomaterials. Bioink is one of the main factors in 3D bioprinting, and hydrogels are excellent matrix type by means of bioinks for 3D bioprinting. Recently, stereolithographic bioprinting via digital light processing (DLP) that allows high spatial resolution and rapid printing time of complex structures has attracted many studies. However, a small number of bioinks have been applied to DLP bioprinting in comparison with bioinks for other bioprinters. We developed a novel bioink based on silk fibroin that has been extensively used in biomedical fields due to its positive biological and biochemical properties as biomaterials. In this chapter, we summarized the silk fibroin basics and various applications of silk fibroin as printing material. Also, fabrication and performance of silk-based bioink for DLP bioprinter were discussed.