Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Using Multilayered Hydrogel Bioink in Three-Dimensional Bioprinting for Homogeneous Cell Distribution
Published on: May 2, 2020
Cell-laden four-dimensional bioprinting using near-infrared-triggered shape-morphing alginate/polydopamine bioinks
Yongxiang Luo1, Xin Lin1, Birui Chen1
1Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, People's Republic of China.
None:
Four-dimensional (4D) bioprinting of cell-laden constructs with programmable shape-morphing structures has gained increasing attention in the field of biofabrication and tissue engineering. Currently, most of the widely used materials for 4D printing, including N-isopropylacrylamide-based polymers, are not commonly used in bioinks for cell-laden bioprinting. Herein, we propose a facile approach to create cell-laden constructs with near-infrared (NIR)-triggered shape morphing using bioinks based on alginate (the most widely used bioink for cell-laden bioprinting). Three-dimensional (3D) printed bilayered scaffolds with orthogonal structures using concentrated alginate/polydopamine (PDA) inks (14-18 wt%) showed a change in folded shape during NIR-induced dehydration. The deformation angle of the scaffold could be controlled by laser power, irradiation time and the designed patterns of the printed alginate/PDA struts in scaffolds. Then, 3D printed biphasic scaffolds consisting of alginate/PDA and cell-laden hydrogels exhibited programmable shape change under NIR stimulation. Scaffolds were able to maintain their deformed structures, and the printed cells in hydrogels retained high viability during culture in medium for at least 14 days. The biocompatible and commonly used hydrogel bioinks, NIR-triggered shape-morphing structures and maintenance of the deformed shape in the medium give this facile approach great potential for application in the field of 4D bioprinting and 4D biofabrication of artificial tissues and organs.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
VSEPR Theory and the Basic Shapes
Molecular Shape and Polarity
Molecular Shapes
Two regions of electron density in a diatomic...
First Derivatives and the Shape of a Graph
Second Derivatives and the Shape of a Graph
Dimensional Analysis
Conversion Factors and Dimensional Analysis
The unit...

