Bioprinting: Inkjet printing proteins and hybrid cell-containing materials and structures

Inkjet printing is a powerful tool for precision patterning and manufacture. Recently there have been significant developments in the use of inkjet printing for applications in biology, biomaterials and sensor structures that have used the technique to directly print enzymes and living cells. Despite impressive progress, the approach to date has been empirical. This Highlight article reviews some key advances in recent years and outlines potential future areas that require research and development. © 2008 The Royal Society of Chemistry.