Template-Enabled Biofabrication of Thick 3D Tissues with Patterned Perfusable Macrochannels.

ABSTRACT: Interconnected pathways in 3D bioartificial organs are essential to retaining cell activity in thick functional 3D tissues. 3D bioprinting methods have been widely explored in biofabrication of functionally patterned tissues; however, these methods are costly and confined to thin tissue layers due to poor control of low-viscosity bioinks. Here, cell-laden hydrogels that could be precisely patterned via water-soluble gelatin templates are constructed by economical extrusion 3D printed plastic templates. Tortuous co-continuous plastic networks, designed based on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), serve as a sacrificial pattern to shape the secondary sacrificial gelatin templates. These templates are eventually used to form cell-encapsulated gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel scaffolds patterned with the complex interconnected pathways. The proposed fabrication process is compatible with photo-crosslinkable hydrogels wherein prepolymer casting enables incorporation of high cell populations with high viability. The cell-laden hydrogel constructs are characterized by robust mechanical behavior. In vivo studies demonstrate a superior cell ingrowth into the highly permeable constructs compared to the bulk hydrogels. Perfusable complex interconnected networks within cell-encapsulated hydrogels may assist in engineering thick and functional tissue constructs through the permeable internal channels for efficient cellular activities in vivo.

SUBMITTER: Davoodi E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8986588 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature