Engineering macroscale cell alignment through coordinated toolpath design using support-assisted 3D bioprinting.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Aligned cells are crucial for tissue mechanical properties.
• Conventional alignment methods like casting and stretching fail to replicate complex native tissue structures.
• Replicating varied fibre orientation in engineered tissues remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a bioprinting method for controlled, macroscale cell alignment with angle variation.
• To mimic the complex fibril orientation found in native tissues.
• To assess the robustness of support-assisted bioprinting for creating intricate structures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a support-assisted bioprinting technique to print a 0°-90° grid structure using a cell-hydrogel mixture.
• Investigated cell alignment induced by stable printed constructs and dynamic cellular remodeling.
• Assessed the ability to create macroscale controlled cell alignment with varying angles.

Main Results:

• C2C12 cells demonstrated directed alignment along the longitudinal axis of printed hydrogel struts.
• The bioprinting method successfully established structurally stable 0°-90° constructs.
• Achieved macroscale controlled cell alignment with angle variation, surpassing limitations of conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• Bioprinting offers a robust method for inducing macroscale cell alignment with angle variation.
• This technique successfully mimics the varied fibril orientation of native tissues.
• The developed method advances tissue engineering by enabling precise control over cellular architecture.