Nanoparticle‐Stabilized Emulsion Bioink for Digital Light Processing Based 3D Bioprinting of Porous Tissue Constructs

Abstract

A challenge for bioprinting tissue constructs is enabling the viability and functionality of encapsulated cells. Rationally designed bioink that can create appropriate biophysical cues shows great promise for overcoming such challenges. Here, a nanoparticle-stabilized emulsion bioink for direct fabrication of porous tissue constructs by digital light processing based 3D bioprinting technology is introduced. The emulsion bioink is integrated by the mixture of aqueous dextran microdroplets and gelatin methacryloyl solution and is further rendered stable by 𝜷-lactoglobulin nanoparticles. After bioprinting, the printed tissue constructs create the macroporous structure via removal of dextran, thereby providing favorable biophysical cues to promote the viability, proliferation, and spreading of the encapsulated cells. Moreover, a trachea-shaped construct containing chondrocytes is bioprinted and implanted in vivo. The results demonstrate that the generated macroporous construct is of benefit to cartilage tissue rebuilding. This work offers an advanced bioink for the fabrication of living tissue constructs by activating the cell behaviors and functions in situ and can lead to the development of 3D bioprinting.

DLP-based bioprinting of void-forming hydrogels for enhanced stem-cell-mediated bone regeneration

“…3D printing of porous hydrogels containing BMSCs would be an ideal route of administration to the target sites for speeding up the bone regeneration. The contact between the structured porous hydrogels and surrounding tissues can significantly promote tissue ingrowth, angiogenesis, and interface fusion [ 24 , 34 ]. Although a number of porous hydrogels have been reported via salt-leaching [ 35 ], organic phases that served as porogens [ 36 ], and cryogelation [ 37 ], which are not ideal to be applied in 3D direct bioprinting of cell-laden porous hydrogels, as it was not possible to encapsulate living cells within polymer solution during the biofabrication process.…”

“…The void-forming hydrogels were prepared by DLP-based 3D printing of aqueous emulsion composed of the mixture of dextran solution and GelMA solution with a volume ratio of 1:2 according to our previous study [ 24 ]. Briefly, the dextran and GelMA polymers were dissolved into PBS solution to form 10% (w/v) dextran solution (average Mw ​= ​500, 000; without modification) and 15% (w/v) GelMA solution at room temperature, separately.…”

Convergence of 3D Bioprinting and Nanotechnology in Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

“…Copyright 2020, Elsevier. ( E ) Schematic illustration of DLP-based bioprinting of porous tissue constructs using nanoparticle-stabilized emulsion bioink [ 39 ]. Copyright 2022, Wiley.…”

“…The data also showed that the existence of IL-4 and MSCs promoted the differentiation of the M2 phenotype of macrophages, indicating that biological ink has a potential anti-inflammatory function. Tao et al [ 39 ] produced bio-inks through the integration of GelMA solution and β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) nanoparticles/dextran solution mixture and printed tissue constructs using 3D bioprinting technology based on digital light processing ( Figure 1 E). After the ink is solidified, it is immersed in the culture medium to wash out the dextran so as to form pores in situ, allowing nutrients and oxygen to diffuse into the 3D-printed hydrogel construction.…”

Design, characterization and applications of nanocolloidal hydrogels

“…Cell culture and tissue engineering. Hydrogels have been extensively used as scaffolds for cell culture, [186][187][188][189][190] due to the high water content, permeability to oxygen, nutrients and metabolites, and the capability of chemical functionalization of hydrogels to recapitulate in vivo biochemical and biophysical cues. 105,157 The utilization of NCGs for cell culture offers the ability to mimic the filamentous structure of the natural extracellular matrix.…”