Design and bioprinting of decellularized extracellular matrix-based bioinks for skin tissue engineering

3D bioprinting is a powerful enabling technology for the automated fabrication of biomimetic constructs for skin modelling and repair with high resolution and reproducibility. Bioinks, which often comprise the combination of cells and printable biomaterials, are essential for bioprinting 3D cell-laden constructs emulating the architecture, composition and function of native skin. Tissue- and organ-specific decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) materials are assuming a significant role in bioink design owing their capacity to provide native biophysical and biochemical signals that can elicit distinct cellular responses toward tissue development. Herein, we discuss the rational design of dECM-based bioinks, focusing on processing methods to obtain dECM as well as on bioprinting strategies to engineer 3D constructs for applications in wound healing and in vitro skin modelling.