To study biological
processes
in vitro
, biomaterials-based
engineering solutions to reproduce the gradients observed in tissues
are necessary. We present a platform for the 3D bioprinting of functionally
graded biomaterials based on carboxylated agarose, a bioink amendable
by extrusion bioprinting. Using this bioink, objects with a gradient
of stiffness and gradient of cell concentration were printed. Functionalization
of carboxylated agarose with maleimide moieties that react in minutes
with a cysteine-terminated cell-adhesion peptide allowed us to print
objects with a gradient of an immobilized peptide. This approach paves
the way toward the development of tissue mimics with gradients.
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