Biomimetic 3D tissue printing for soft tissue regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Soft tissue reconstruction in plastic surgery requires functional adipose tissue grafts.
• Current methods face limitations in volume, vascularization, and donor site morbidity.
• Tissue printing offers a potential solution for fabricating patient-specific tissue constructs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a biomimetic tissue-printed adipose construct using decellularized adipose tissue (DAT) bioink and human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs).
• To assess the in vitro and in vivo performance of these engineered adipose tissue constructs for soft tissue regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of dome-shaped, porous adipose tissue constructs using DAT bioink encapsulating hASCs via 3D printing.
• In vitro assessment of cell viability, adipogenic gene expression, and construct properties.
• Subcutaneous implantation of constructs in mice to evaluate biocompatibility, tissue infiltration, remodeling, and adipose tissue formation.

Main Results:

• Printed DAT constructs maintained high hASC viability for 2 weeks.
• Constructs exhibited spontaneous adipogenic gene expression without external differentiation factors, with higher intensity than non-printed DAT gel.
• In vivo studies showed no chronic inflammation or cytotoxicity, but demonstrated positive tissue infiltration, remodeling, and adipose tissue formation.

Conclusions:

• Direct 3D printing of customized adipose tissue analogs using DAT bioink is a promising strategy for soft tissue regeneration.
• This biomimetic approach supports cell viability and spontaneous adipogenesis, leading to functional tissue formation in vivo.
• Engineered adipose tissue constructs hold significant potential for plastic and reconstructive surgery applications.