3D Bioplotter Research Papers

The construction and regeneration of tissue-engineered auricles are pacesetters in tissue engineering and have realized their first international clinical application. However, the unstable regeneration quality and insufficient mechanical strength have become significant obstacles impeding its clinical promotion. The perichondrium is indispensable for the nutritional and vascular supply of the underlying cartilage tissue, as well as for proper anatomical functioning and mechanical performance. This study presents a novel strategy for integrated construction of bioengineered perichondrium with bioprinted cartilage to enhance the regeneration quality and mechanical properties of tissue-engineered auricles. Simulating the anatomical structure of the native auricle designs a sandwich construction…

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the cancers with the least favorable survival prognosis worldwide. It is characterized by a high desmoplastic stroma rich in collagen I, which regulates pancreatic cancer cells’ behavior. There is a critical need to develop desmoplastic 3D models for preclinical testing. In this study, bioinks that imitate the biochemical characteristics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were developed to observe the influence that the desmoplastic extracellular matrix has on cancer cells. The bioinks were made of gelatin methacrylamide, alginate, and different concentrations of collagen I. Cancer cells were able to proliferate in all bioinks, presenting high paclitaxel…

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) refers to muscle tissue loss exceeding 20% within a functional area due to trauma or surgery, often leading to physical disabilities. VML treatment relies on the transplantation of autologous flaps harvested from a healthy-donor site while minimizing the probability of immune rejection. However, this approach often leads to donor-site morbidity and relies on a restricted supply of muscle tissue. Current solutions in tissue engineering focus on engineered grafts lacking hierarchical vasculature with a feeding vessel, thus limited by diffusion. This study expanded upon a new approach of multimodal bioprinting which enabled the fabrication of thick hierarchical…

Iron-catalyzed laser-induced graphitization (IC-LIG) represents an eco-efficient alternative to traditional carbon electrode manufacturing. Combining a bio-based tannic acid-iron precursor ink with CO2 laser treatment results in sheet resistance of 23.59 ± 1.2Ω □−1 on renewable substrates. Varying the tannic-acid-to-iron ratio (TA:Fe), the rheology of the precursor ink can be tuned, enabling versatile application techniques, including spray coating, screen printing, and direct-ink-writing (DIW). Subsequent laser-treatment enables the formation of functional IC-LIG electrodes for all application methods, while even thick DIW-printed layers (260 µm) result in complex, conductive electrode patterns. Laser post-treatment expands design possibilities by locally tuning iron phases, such as…

Preservation and long-term storage of readily available cell-laden tissue-engineered products are major challenges in expanding their applications in healthcare. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the development of off-the-shelf tissue-engineered products using the cryobioprinting approach. Here, bioinks are incorporated with cryoprotective agents (CPAs) to allow the fabrication of cryopreservable tissue constructs. Although this method has shown potential in the fabrication of cryopreservable tissue-engineered products, the impact of the CPAs on the viscoelastic behavior and printability of the bioinks at cryo conditions remains unexplored. In this study, we have evaluated the influence of CPAs such as glycerol and…

Breast cancer 3D in vitro systems that replicate key tumor characteristics could assist drug discovery by providing more clinically translational models. Breast tumors are formed by hierarchically organized cancer and stromal cells and the extracellular matrix, all of which contribute to the disease progression and treatment response. 3D-bioprinting has enabled the creation of anatomically relevant constructs that better recapitulate the tumor architecture. The extracellular matrix’s role in the tumor outcome has motivated the development of biomimetic bioinks. Among them, bioinks based on decellularized mammary glands can mimic many native biological cues. This work aims to develop a bioprinted 3D in…

Appropriate degradation behavior of medical implants is essential, as early degradation of implanted biomaterials can lead to premature loss of mechanical integrity, causing complications such as inflammation and inadequate support during the critical healing period. Therefore, understanding the degradation of newly developed materials for in vivo applications is crucial. Here, we investigated the degradation behavior of blends from Poly[(L-lactide)-co-(ε-caprolactone)] and Poly(D-lactide) (PLLAcoCL/PDLA) in which stereocomplex crystals of the isotactic lactide sequences impart hyperelastic behavior. The PLLAcoCL/PDLA blends were studied through in vitro bulk degradation studies (in printed films and electrospun meshes) and in thin-films using the Langmuir technique. Chemical, thermal,…

Breast cancer remains among the most prevalent malignancies affecting women globally. Current treatment approaches, including mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, often fail to prevent cancer recurrence and can result in substantial tissue damage, esthetic concerns, and diminished quality of life. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, stem cell-based technologies, and MXene nanomaterials show promise in tissue repair and cancer treatment. However, there is a lack of strategies that can offer multiple effects, preventing both breast tissue regeneration and tumor recurrence. In this study, we developed 3D hydrogel scaffolds incorporating stem cells and MXene quantum dots (MQDs) for in vivo application in a mouse model…

The dynamic interaction between cells and their substrate is a cornerstone of biomaterial-based tissue regeneration focused on unraveling the complex factors that govern this crucial relationship. A key challenge is translating physical cues from 2D to 3D due to limitations in current biofabrication techniques. In response, this study introduces an innovative approach that combines additive and subtractive manufacturing for precise surface patterning of 3D printed scaffolds. Using poly(𝜀-caprolactone) as the scaffold material, polymeric fibers are 3D printed and subsequently laser-engraved with femtosecond laser to precisely create controlled microtopographies, including microgrooves (10 and 80 µm in width) and micropits (25 µm…

The Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) affects millions of women worldwide, with current treatment regimens associated with frequent dosing, inconsistent release profiles, and systemic adverse effects, leading to a decreased patient acceptability. Patient acceptability is pivotal in ensuring adherence and therapeutic outcomes and is defined by the European Medicines Agency as “an overall ability of the patient and caregiver to use a medicinal product as intended” with the International Conference on Harmonization Pharmaceutical Development Guideline (Q8 (R2)) further stating “in all cases, the product should be designed to meet patients’ needs and the intended product performance”. Accordingly, this study focuses…