3D printing has evolved into a versatile technology for fabricating 
tissue-engineered constructs with spatially controlled cells and biomaterial 
distribution to allow biomimicking of in vivo tissues. In this paper, we 
reported a novel study of 3D printing of cell lines derived from human embryonic 
kidney tissue into a macroporous tissue-like construct. Nozzle temperature, 
chamber temperature and the composition of the matrix material were studied to 
achieve high cell viability (>90%) after 3D printing and construct formation. 
Long-term construct stability with a clear grid structure up to 30 days was 
observed. Cells continued to grow as cellular spheroids with strong cell-cell 
interactions. Two transfected cell lines of HEK 293FT were also 3D printed and 
showed normal biological functions, i.e. protein synthesis and gene activation 
in responding to small molecule stimulus. With further refinement, this 3D cell 
printing technology may lead to a practical fabrication of functional embryonic 
tissues in vitro.