Gold Nanocomposite Bioink for Printing 3D Cardiac Constructs

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting offers a convenient method for fabricating biomimetic cardiac tissue constructs for regenerative medicine and drug screening.
• Current bioinks, typically polymer-based, exhibit poor electrical conductivity, hindering efficient electrical coupling between cardiac cells.
• This limitation impedes the development of functional cardiac tissue models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel gold nanorod (GNR)-incorporated gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)-based bioink for 3D bioprinting functional cardiac tissue.
• To enhance the electrical properties and cellular integration of bioprinted cardiac constructs.

Main Methods:

• Development of a GelMA-based bioink incorporating varying concentrations of GNRs.
• Optimization of GNR concentration to balance viscosity, cell viability, and electrical properties.
• 3D bioprinting of cell-laden constructs using the developed nanocomposite bioink.
• Assessment of cell adhesion, organization, electrical coupling, and contractile function.

Main Results:

• The GNR-incorporated bioink maintained low viscosity, enabling high-density cell encapsulation and high-resolution printing with reduced shear stress.
• Cardiac cells within GNR constructs exhibited improved adhesion and organization compared to controls.
• GNRs facilitated electrical coupling across polymer pore walls, leading to synchronized contraction of the bioprinted constructs.

Conclusions:

• The gold nanocomposite bioink significantly enhances the functionality of 3D bioprinted cardiac tissue by improving electrical conductivity and cell-cell coupling.
• This GNR-enhanced bioink shows great promise for advancing cardiac tissue engineering applications, including regenerative therapies and drug discovery platforms.