Patent applications for 3D printed organs and tissues are on the rise. 55% of such applications are still pending. This shows that the market for bio-printed organs and tissues is growing rapidly.

Bio-printing is a manufacture technique through which structures replication organs/tissues are created, which mimic their original counterparts. For this process, 3D printers are used. They create layers upon layers of material, known as 'bio-inks', to create various bodily structures, including bones, skin and even corneas. Bio-printing has been seen to be widely applicable in the fields of medicine and biotechnology in recent times.

Usually, bio-printing involves the same basic mechanism used in conventional 3D printing, with the contrast that in the former, live cell suspensions are used during printing. The cells required for this are generally extracted from the patient, but in some instances, doing that may not be possible. So, adult stem cells can be used instead, and are cultured into a 'bio-ink' to "print" an organ or tissue. The 'suspension' of these cells together is facilitated by some type of dissolvable gel or collagen scaffold that can support the cells and mould them into the correct shape.

The following steps are involved in the 3D bio-printing of organs and tissues-

1. 3D Imaging : this is done through a standard MRI or CT scan, so as to get the exact dimensions of the organ or tissue to be printed
2. 3D Modelling : by means of an AutoCAD software, a blueprint is made, mainly aiming at avoiding any defects in the final structure
3. Bio-ink Preparation : it includes a combination of living cells, compatible base (like gelatin, collagen etc.) and other cell-growth or differentiation materials, based on the requirement of the model
4. Printing : a layer-by-layer deposition is made by the bio-ink based on the blueprint design
5. Solidification : cross-links are solidified by help of specific chemicals, UV light rays, or even heat

The growth of 3D bio-printing market can be attributed to a number of factors, some of them being, the ever-increasing use of 3D bio-printing in the cosmetology and pharma inductries, the technological developments in the field of 3D bio-printers and materials. Another huge driver of this development is the massive increase in the funds for research in the activities related to this field. The 3D bio-printing market has been estimated to reach from USD 651.6 million in 2019 to a whopping USD 1,647 million in 2024, meaning at least a 20.4% of growth rate within 5 years. Therefore, many industries have been encouraged to increase and strengthen their existing production and supply capabilities.

There have been stipulations that India and China are going to offer many growth opportunities in the field, because of growing demand for cosmetic surgeries, added with support from governmental bodies, and the less-stringent data requirements.

The USA has been found to be the current top innovator in this field of technology, while countries like China and Korea are majorly innovating in investigative technology. 3D bio-printing benefit the most to the ortho industry, however, it is also gaining popularity in printing of delicate tissues like ocular tissues and islets of Langerhans. Moreover, growth of 3D bio-printing in the generation of breast tissues will be of major importance in cancer research as well as regenerative medicine.

Presently, more than 50% of the total patents in this field use Extrusion bioprinter technology, and around the same percentage of patented technology relates to regenerative medicines and tissue defects.