Methacrylated polymeric hydrogels: an insight into their 3D bioprinting applications

Natural polymers are promising candidates to create biomedical hydrogel scaffolds that are commonly used in various healthcare applications due to their ability to replicate the natural environment of tissues. However, natural polymers lack the mechanical and physicochemical properties required to create these biomimetic scaffolds. To address these shortcomings, natural polymers are first methacrylated and then photocrosslinked to create hydrogels with strong covalent bonds. These types of hydrogels have been extensively used over the years to fabricate custom-designed hydrogels tailored to individual patient’s needs using three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology. Herein, we review the mechanisms, advantages, and limitations of using methacrylation and photopolymerization-based processes to synthesize biomedical hydrogels. Finally, we explore the progress and future perspectives of using these types of polymeric hydrogels as suitable bioinks for 3D bioprinting, tissue engineering, and other applications.