AccScience Publishing / IJB / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/IJB025300306
REVIEW ARTICLE
Early Access

Bioprinting strategies for skeletal muscle regeneration: Advances in bioinks, technologies, and functional reconstruction

Xiaoguang Liu1,2† Miaomiao Xu3,4† Huiguo Wang1,2 Lin Zhu1,5*
Show Less
1 College of Sports and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, China
2 Research Center for Innovative Development of Sports and Healthcare Integration, Guangzhou Sport University, China
3 College of Physical Education, Guangdong University of Education, China
4 School of Physical Education and Health, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, China
5 Innovative Research Center for Sports Science in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou Sport University, China
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
Received: 25 July 2025 | Accepted: 18 August 2025 | Published online: 19 August 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) presents a significant clinical challenge due to the limited regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle and the inherent limitations of current therapeutic strategies. Bioprinting has emerged as a transformative approach that allows for the spatially controlled deposition of cells, biomaterials, and biochemical cues to create functional, biomimetic muscle tissues. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in bioink development, bioprinting technologies, and functional reconstruction strategies for skeletal muscle regeneration. Bioinks, derived from natural, synthetic, and composite materials, are evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in supporting myogenesis, promoting cellular alignment, and facilitating neurovascular integration. We compare key bioprinting techniques—including extrusion-based, inkjet, and laser-assisted printing—highlighting their respective strengths and limitations in achieving structural fidelity and multicellular complexity. Emerging technologies such as coaxial and microfluidic-assisted printing are also discussed for their potential to fabricate aligned, anisotropic muscle constructs with hierarchical architectures. Functional evaluations are critically examined through in vitro assays (e.g., contractility, gene expression) and in vivo studies using VML models, focusing on vascularization, innervation, and force restoration. Despite significant progress, substantial challenges remain in achieving complete neurovascular integration, long-term functionality, and clinical scalability. Looking ahead, future efforts should emphasize the development of dynamic, bioresponsive materials, integration with electrical and mechanical stimulation, and the establishment of standardized preclinical protocols. By bridging material innovation, structural design, and biological functionality, bioprinting holds great promise for next-generation, clinically relevant skeletal muscle regeneration.

Keywords
3D bioprinting
Myogenesis
Hydrogel bioinks
Muscle tissue engineering
Regenerative medicine
Funding
This work was supported by the New type of Regular Higher Education Institutions Think Tanks in Guangdong Province (grant number: 2024TSZK017 to Z.l.); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 32300964 to X.L.); the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (grant number: 2022A1515111105 to X.L.); the Guangdong Provincial Sports Bureau 2024-2025 Science and Technology Innovation and Sports Culture Development Research Project (grant number: GDSS2024N010 to M.X.), and the 2025 First-Class Discipline 24 Capacity Enhancement Project in Sports Science ("Guben" Program), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (No. 7 to M.X.).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
Share
Back to top
International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing