About this Research Topic
The emergence of bioprinting and organotypic modeling has renewed the emphasis and critically examined the arsenal under which we combat oral infections. With the recent advancements in 3D printing technologies, the up-to-date bioprinting techniques allowed biologically viable cells or biomolecules incorporated within biomaterials to create 3D constructs, which is critical to a successful in vitro replication of oral tissue. On the other hand, organotypic modeling reproduced oral-simulate environments to bridge the gap between physiological complexity and in vitro culture environments. Therefore, new studies and comprehensive reviews on this topic will be highly valuable for researchers and clinicians to better understand host-microbiota interactions, screening therapeutics, and safe clinical translation methods.
It has been well recognized that in vitro often has limited cell viability and function compared to their native environment. Besides, the oral cavity harbours highly diverse ecosystems encompassing more than 600 different bacterial species, which brings unique complicities to oral infections. Thus, traditional in vitro models typically use single species or their virulence factor to challenge two-dimensional cultures, which does not reflect the true complexity of oral infections. However, despite the extensive use of experimental animals to understand the underlying mechanisms of oral infectious, several crucial considerations are raised concerning their suitability and reflection of the “real-life” situation, especially since not all aspects of human periodontitis can be predictably reproduced in experimental animals. Therefore, bioprinting with human tissue-like in vitro tissue complex, and (or) modeling in vitro culture at the clinically relevant condition would have scientific and ethical advantages. The present research topic aspires to bring forward bioprinting technology and organotypic models in oral infectious fields.
In this Research Topic we welcome manuscripts providing fresh insights on the bioprinting and organotypic modeling for oral infections to contribute original research as well as narrative and systematic reviews, including but not limited to the following on the oral infections field:
• the new application of using bioprinting technology in oral infections recreating hard (e.g., alveolar bone) and (or) soft tissues (e.g., oral mucosal), ranging from studying cellular mechanisms to constructing tissues and organs for implantation
• 3D culturing of host and (or) oral microbiome for mimicking oral infections
• current challenges that hamper the utility of bioprinting and (or) modeling technology on basic and (or) clinical studies
It has been well recognized that in vitro often has limited cell viability and function compared to their native environment. Besides, the oral cavity harbours highly diverse ecosystems encompassing more than 600 different bacterial species, which brings unique complicities to oral infections. Thus, traditional in vitro models typically use single species or their virulence factor to challenge two-dimensional cultures, which does not reflect the true complexity of oral infections. However, despite the extensive use of experimental animals to understand the underlying mechanisms of oral infectious, several crucial considerations are raised concerning their suitability and reflection of the “real-life” situation, especially since not all aspects of human periodontitis can be predictably reproduced in experimental animals. Therefore, bioprinting with human tissue-like in vitro tissue complex, and (or) modeling in vitro culture at the clinically relevant condition would have scientific and ethical advantages. The present research topic aspires to bring forward bioprinting technology and organotypic models in oral infectious fields.
In this Research Topic we welcome manuscripts providing fresh insights on the bioprinting and organotypic modeling for oral infections to contribute original research as well as narrative and systematic reviews, including but not limited to the following on the oral infections field:
• the new application of using bioprinting technology in oral infections recreating hard (e.g., alveolar bone) and (or) soft tissues (e.g., oral mucosal), ranging from studying cellular mechanisms to constructing tissues and organs for implantation
• 3D culturing of host and (or) oral microbiome for mimicking oral infections
• current challenges that hamper the utility of bioprinting and (or) modeling technology on basic and (or) clinical studies
Keywords: Bioprinting, modeling, oral infections
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
