Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40491583›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology2025

Microspheres for 3D bioprinting: a review of fabrication methods and applications.

Dmitri Karaman, Kira Williams, Jolene Phelps, Fynn La Boucan, Gretchen Lewandowski, Kerrin O'Grady, Bosco Yu, Stephanie M Willerth

Erratum issuedAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Dmitri KaramanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Kira WilliamsDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Jolene PhelpsDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Fynn La BoucanDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Gretchen LewandowskiDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Kerrin O'GradyDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Bosco YuDivision of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
Stephanie M WillerthDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Bioprinting incorporates printable biomaterials into 3D printing to create intricate tissues that maintain a defined 3D structure while supporting the survival and function of relevant cell types. A major challenge in 3D bioprinting is tuning material properties to ensure compatibility with different types of cells, while accurately mimicking the physiological microenvironment. Developing novel bioinks tailored to specific applications can help address this challenge by combining various materials and additives to tune the bioink formulation. Microspheres - small spherical particles - can incorporate drugs or growth factors to enable their controlled release, encapsulate cells to provide protection during printing, and provide structural reinforcement to tune mechanical properties and enable complex architectures. The particles range in size from 1 to 1000 μm and can be tuned to meet desired functions by optimizing their mode of production and the materials used for fabrication. This review presents an overview of microsphere production methods and considerations for optimizing the production process. It then summarizes how microspheres have been used to date in bioprinting applications. Finally, the existing challenges associated with the creation and use of microspheres are discussed along with avenues for future research.

Indexed as

biomaterialsbioprintingdrug encapsulationelectrosprayemulsificationmicrofluidicsmicrospheres

Identifiers

PMID40491583
PMCPMC12146379

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.