In Situ 3D Printing: Opportunities with Silk Inks

Abstract

In situ 3D printing is an emerging technique designed for patient-specific needs and performed directly in the patient's tissues in the operating room. While this technology has progressed rapidly, several improvements are needed to push it forward for widespread utility, including ink formulations and optimization for in situ context. Silk fibroin inks emerge as a viable option due to the diverse range of formulations, aqueous processability, robust and tunable mechanical properties, and self-assembly via biophysical adsorption to avoid exogenous chemical or photochemical sensitizer additives, among other features. In this review, we focus on this new frontier of 3D in situ printing for tissue regeneration, where silk is proposed as candidate biomaterial ink due to the unique and useful properties of this protein polymer.