Evaluation of 3D-Printing Scaffold Fabrication on Biosynthetic Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate Terpolyester as Biomaterial-Ink

Abstract

Currently, the selection of materials for tissue engineering scaffolds is still limited because some tissues require flexible and compatible materials with human cells. Medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (MCL-PHA) synthesized in microorganisms is an interesting polymer for use in this area and has elastomeric properties compatible with the human body. MCL-PHAs are elastomers with biodegradability and cellular compatibility, making them an attractive material for fabricating soft tissue that requires high elasticity. In this research, MCL-PHA was produced by fed-batch fermentation that Pseudomonas Putida ATCC 47054 was cultured to accumulate MCL-PHA by using glycerol and sodium octanoate as carbon sources. The amounts of dry cell density, MCL-PHA product per dry cells, and MCL-PHA productivity were at 15 g/L, 27%, and 0.067 g/L/h, respectively, and the components of MCL-PHA consisting of 3-hydroxydecanoate (3HD) 64.5%, 3-hydroxyoctanoate (3HO) 32.2%, and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) 3.3%. The biosynthesized MCL-PHA terpolyester has a relatively low melting temperature, low crystallinity, and high ductility at 52 °C, 15.7%, and 218%, respectively, and considering as elastomeric polyester. The high-resolution scaffold of MCL-PHA terpolyester biomaterial-ink (approximately 0.36 mm porous size) could be printed in a selected condition with a 3D printer, similar to the optimum pore size for cell attachment and proliferation. The rheological characteristic of this MCL-PHA biomaterial-ink exhibits shear-thinning behavior, leading to good shape fidelity. The study results yielded a condition capable of fabricating an elastomer scaffold of the MCL-PHA terpolyester, giving rise to the ideal soft tissue engineering application.

Fabrication and biological properties of artificial tendon composite from medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate

“…The MCL-PHA used in the study was produced on a pilot scale based on previous studies 20 , 21 . The forming of MCL-PHA uses the chloroform solvent casting method into the mold.…”

Improving Chitosan Hydrogels Printability: A Comprehensive Study on Printing Scaffolds for Customized Drug Delivery

“…Since the material has to pass through the nozzle tip, it is necessary that it has an adequate viscosity behavior as a function of shear stress [ 43 ]. The 3D printing process chosen for the present study, an extrusion-based method, and according to previous studies, shows that it is mandatory that the materials used for this type of process present a shear-thinning behavior for the hydrogel be able to extrude through the nozzle tip [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ].…”

3D Melt-Extrusion Printing of Medium Chain Length Polyhydroxyalkanoates and Their Application as Antibiotic-Free Antibacterial Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

“…Firstly, the feasibility of developing 3D scaffolds through melt extrusion 3D printing of P(3HO- co -3HD- co -3HDD) was investigated. To date, only a limited number of studies have been conducted on the 3D printing of PHAs, and only one work investigated the possibility of using an mcl-PHA to produce scaffolds via melt-extrusion 3D printing without evaluating multilayered structures or their possible application for tissue engineering. − ,,, In this work, a screening study was conducted to evaluate the optimal printing conditions for P(3HO- co -3HD- co -3HDD). Overall, the screening study allowed the determination of the optimal combination of parameters to successfully print well-defined and reproducible 3D structures using P(3HO- co -3HD- co -3HDD), for the selected nozzle size (i.e., 600 μm).…”

“…26 Finally, Panaksri et al conducted a preliminary study to investigate the printability of an mcl-PHA (i.e., poly(3-hydroxyhexanoate-co-hydroxyoctanoate-co-hydroxydecanoate), P(3HHx-co-3HO-co-HD)) by melt-extrusion 3D printing, identifying the range of parameters suitable for the production of reproducible scaffolds; however, they did not explore printability of any multilayered structures or investigated possible biomedical applications. 27 With regards to antibacterial features, PHAs are generally not inherently antibacterial. PHAs containing functional moieties in their side chains can be produced directly by bacterial fermentation through the exploitation of their intrinsic metabolic pathways of production.…”

“…Finally, Panaksri et al. conducted a preliminary study to investigate the printability of an mcl-PHA (i.e., poly(3-hydroxyhexanoate- co -hydroxyoctanoate- co -hydroxydecanoate), P(3HHx- co -3HO- co -HD)) by melt-extrusion 3D printing, identifying the range of parameters suitable for the production of reproducible scaffolds; however, they did not explore printability of any multilayered structures or investigated possible biomedical applications …”