Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 12, 2025
Novel Process for 3D Printing Decellularized Matrices
Published on: January 7, 2019
Meniscal tissue engineering via 3D printed PLA monolith with carbohydrate based self-healing interpenetrating network
Santosh Gupta1, Akriti Sharma1, J Vasantha Kumar1
1Stem Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600036, India.
Abstract:
Failure of bioengineered meniscus implant after transplantation is a major concern owing to mechanical failure, lack of chondrogenic capability and patient specific design. In this article, we have, for the first time, fabricated a 3D printed scaffold with carbohydrate based self-healing interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogels-based monolith construct for load bearing meniscus tissue. 3D printed PLA scaffold was surface functionalized and embedded with self-healing IPN hydrogel for interfacial bonding further characterized by micro CT. Using collagen (C), alginate (A) and oxidized alginate (ADA), we developed self-healing IPN hydrogels with dual crosslinking (Ca2+ based ionic crosslinking and Schiff base (A-A, A-ADA)) capability and studied their physicochemical properties. Further, we studied human stem cells behaviour and chondrogenic differentiation potential within these IPN hydrogels. In-vivo heterotopic implantation confirmed biocompatibility of the monolith showing the feasibility of using carbohydrate based IPN hydrogel embedded in 3D printed scaffold for meniscal tissue development.
