AccScience Publishing / IJB / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/IJB026210207
Cite this article
3
Download
70
Views
Related Info Links
More by Authors Links
Journal Browser
Volume | Year
Issue
Search
News and Announcements
View All
REVIEW ARTICLE
Early Access

Recent advances and challenges in 3D bioprinting for skin tissue regeneration

Lingling Guo1 Xingtang Niu2 Nabi Bux3 Yibao Li1 Tao Xu4* Danfeng Guo1*
Show Less
1 Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, The Central Hospital Affiliated of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
2 Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
3 State Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
4 Center for Bio-intelligent Manufacturing and Living Matter Bioprinting, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518057, China
Received: 23 May 2026 | Revised: 16 June 2026 | Accepted: 17 June 2026 | Published online: 28 June 2026
© 2026 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

3D bioprinting has transformed skin tissue regeneration by enabling fabrication of skin-like structures with precisely controlled properties. This review critically examines recent advances and challenges in 3D bioprinting for skin tissue engineering (2020–2026), organized around a unifying materials-design framework linking bioink properties to wound healing phase requirements and printing technology selection. Wound healing mechanisms, cell types, bioink formulations, and major bioprinting technologies (inkjet, extrusion, laser-assisted, light-curing) are comparatively evaluated for resolution, cell viability, material compatibility, and scalability. 3D bioprinting enables vascular network formation, nerve regeneration, and regrowth of skin appendages including sweat glands, hair follicles, and pigmentation, while patient-specific constructs reduce rejection risk and improve outcomes. Four clinical niches where bioprinting offers genuine advantage are identified: chronic wounds, cosmetically critical areas, full-thickness burns exceeding 40% total body surface area, and in vitro pharmaceutical testing. Existing approaches remain limited in mimicking physiological complexity, multi-material harmony, and long-term stability. Critical gaps persist in elastin regeneration, matrix mechanotransduction, immune-material interactions, and transition to GMP-compliant manufacturing. Regulatory pathways, scalability, and cost-effectiveness as underaddressed translational barriers are explicitly evaluated. Further progress requires convergence of stem cell technology, advanced bioink design, and AI-driven optimization. Interdisciplinary collaboration remains essential to advance bioprinting toward clinical application in severe skin injuries and regenerative medicine.

Keywords
3D bioprinting
Biomaterials
Wound healing
Skin tissue engineering
Share
Back to top
International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing