Three-dimensional (3D) cell printing processes have been used widely in various tissue engineering applications due to the efficient embedding of living cells in appropriately designed micro- or macro-structures. However, there are several issues to overcome, such as the limited choice of bioinks and tailor-made fabricating strategies. Here, we suggest a new, innovative cell-printing process, supplemented with a core-sheath nozzle and an aerosol cross-linking method, to obtain multilayered cell-laden mesh structure and a newly considered collagen-based cell-laden bioink. To obtain a mechanically and biologically enhanced cell-laden structure, we used collagen-bioink in the core region, and also used pure alginate in the sheath region to protect the cells in the collagen during the printing and cross-linking process and support the 3D cell-laden mesh structure. To achieve the most appropriate conditions for fabricating cell-embedded cylindrical core-sheath struts, various processing conditions, including weight fractions of the cross-linking agent and pneumatic pressure in the core region, were tested. The fabricated 3D MG63-laden mesh structure showed significantly higher cell viability (92 ± 3%) compared with that (83 ± 4%) of the control, obtained using a general alginate-based cell-printing process. To expand the feasibility to stem cell-embedded structures, we fabricated a cell-laden mesh structure consisting of core (cell-laden collagen)/sheath (pure alginate) using human adipose stem cells (hASCs). Using the selected processing conditions, we could achieve a stable 3D hASC-laden mesh structure. The fabricated cell-laden 3D core-sheath structure exhibited outstanding cell viability (91%) compared to that (83%) of an alginate-based hASC-laden mesh structure (control), and more efficient hepatogenic differentiations (albumin: ∼ 1.7-fold, TDO-2: ∼ 7.6-fold) were observed versus the control. The selection of collagen-bioink and the new printing strategy could lead to an efficient way to achieve 3D cell-laden mesh structures that mimic the anatomical architecture of a patient's defective region.

β-Tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and collagen have been widely used to regenerate various hard tissues, but although Bioceramics and collagen have various biological advantages with respect to cellular activity, their usage has been limited due to β-TCP's inherent brittleness and low mechanical properties, along with the low shape-ability of the three-dimensional collagen. To overcome these material deficiencies, we fabricated a new hierarchical scaffold that consisted of a melt-plotted polycaprolactone (PCL)/β-TCP composite and embedded collagen nanofibers. The fabrication process was combined with general melt-plotting methods and electrospinning. To evaluate the capability of this hierarchical scaffold to act as a biomaterial for bone tissue regeneration, physical and biological assessments were performed. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of the fabricated scaffolds indicated that the β-TCP particles were uniformly embedded in PCL struts and that electrospun collagen nanofibers (diameter = 160 nm) were well layered between the composite struts. By accommodating the β-TCP and collagen nanofibers, the hierarchical composite scaffolds showed dramatic water-absorption ability (100% increase), increased hydrophilic properties (20%), and good mechanical properties similar to PCL/β-TCP composite. MTT assay and SEM images of cell-seeded scaffolds showed that the initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells (MG63) in the hierarchical scaffold was 2.2 times higher than that on the PCL/β-TCP composite scaffold. Additionally, the proliferation rate of the cells was about two times higher than that of the composite scaffold after 7 days of cell culture. Based on these results, we conclude that the collagen nanofibers and β-TCP particles in the scaffold provide good synergistic effects for cell activity.

No abstract

Biomedical scaffolds used in bone tissue engineering should have various properties including appropriate bioactivity, mechanical strength, and morphologically optimized pore structures. Collagen has been well known as a good biomaterial for various types of tissue regeneration, but its usage has been limited due to its low mechanical property and rapid degradation. In this work, a new hybrid scaffold consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL) and collagen is proposed for bone tissue regeneration. The PCL enhances the mechanical properties of the hybrid scaffold and controls the pore structure. Layered collagen nanofibers were used to enhance the initial cell attachment and proliferation. The results showed that the hybrid scaffold yielded better mechanical properties of pure PCL scaffold as well as enhanced biological activity than the pure PCL scaffold did. The effect of pore size on bone regeneration was investigated using two hybrid scaffolds with pore sizes of 200 ± 20 and 300 ± 27 μm. After post-seeding for 7 days, the cell proliferation with pore size, 200 ± 20 μm, was greater than that with pore size, 300 ± 27 μm, due to the high surface area of the scaffold.

No abstract