• Revolutionizing Infertility Treatment with 3D-Printed Bio-Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
  • sara bazdar,1 Azizeh Rahmani Del Bakhshayesh,2,* zahra amiri,3
    1. Department of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
    2. Department of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
    3. Department of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences Tabriz University of Medical Sciences


  • Introduction: Infertility is a condition characterized by the inability to conceive after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sex. It is considered a complex disorder with wide-ranging biological, psychological, social, and economic consequences and is a significant health issue globally. A successful pregnancy occurs due to the coordinated interaction between a man's and a woman's physiological events. Although traditional treatments such as ovulation induction drugs, surgical interventions, and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are effective, they often involve high costs, emotional stress, and low success rates. Tissue engineering has emerged as a powerful tool to treat infertility and improve health with the help of advanced medical science technologies.
  • Methods: tissue-engineered Scaffold systems containing cells are essential for regenerating reproductive organs. Using scaffolds in the treatment of these diseases offers a promising approach for young infertile couples. Scaffolds should be biodegradable, biocompatible, porous, and suitable mechanical properties to mimic natural extracellular matrix (ECM).
  • Results: Among tissue engineering technologies, 3D printing has attracted increasing attention in the last decade. It is widely used to create complex scaffolds with suitable materials for various applications. 3D printing has advanced with the development of cell sources and biomaterials, offering alternatives that overcome the disadvantages of traditional infertility treatment techniques and provide scaffolds to create functional tissues to replace damaged human tissues. 3D microprinted scaffolds create an excellent ECM-like environment for cell growth and target tissue repair. Also, 3D printing has shown a high potential in reconstructing damaged reproductive tissues and treating infertility. The accuracy of 3D printing allows the creation of complex forms by adding layer upon layer of different materials, which is a valuable tool for creating biomimetic scaffolds with controlled properties, with the ability to create customized structures and patient-specific scaffolds. These three-dimensional structures with microporous features can be produced through a computer-controlled layer-by-layer process.
  • Conclusion: In recent years, significant progress has been made in the field of reproductive organ tissue reconstruction and infertility treatment with the help of 3D printing. For example, 3D-printed biosynthetic ovaries using microporous scaffolds are highly precise and offer customization previously unattainable in infertility treatment. The main advantage of 3D printing is its ability to produce patient- and tissue-specific scaffolds, which makes it unique. Moreover, this research aims to investigate the potential of 3D printing scaffolds in treating infertility and create new opportunities in this field.
  • Keywords: Infertility,3D-Print, Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine