ABSTRACT
Osteoarthritis is the most common age-related joint disease and the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide. The ageing of global population and the growth of obesity imply the prevalence of osteoarthritis will increase year over year. Current treatments for osteoarthritis are mostly ineffective for disease progression and focus only on relieving pain and inflammation, leaving arthroplasty the ultimate option. Not only is the prevalence of the disease increasing, but it is also an increasing economic burden on healthcare systems. As a result, new therapeutic approaches such as tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting have evolved to offer future treatment options. In this chapter, we detail the advantages of using 3D bioprinting techniques to regenerate articular cartilage for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Bioprinting is an innovative technology that fabricates organised 3D tissue constructs by deposition of a combination of cells and biomaterials in an orderly and predetermined manner. Finally, we review recent advances in bioprinting of articular cartilage as well as current challenges and directions for future developments in articular cartilage regeneration.
