Photocurable Biopolymers for Coaxial Bioprinting

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Additive manufacturing, particularly 3D bioprinting, is revolutionizing tissue engineering by enabling the fabrication of cell-laden hydrogel constructs.
• Effective bioinks are crucial for supporting cell functions and achieving high-resolution printing, requiring rapid gelation after extrusion.
• Modifying natural biopolymers is a key strategy to improve bioink printability and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize photocurable derivatives of natural biopolymers for advanced bioink formulations.
• To develop innovative bioinks suitable for coaxial-based 3D bioprinting applications.
• To enhance the printability and cell-supporting capabilities of natural biopolymer-based bioinks.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of photocurable derivatives: gelatin methacrylate, hyaluronic acid methacrylate, chondroitin sulfate methacrylate, and PEGylated fibrinogen.
• Formulation of tailored bioinks using these modified biopolymers.
• Application of these bioinks in coaxial-based 3D bioprinting.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of photocurable derivatives of natural biopolymers.
• Development of innovative bioinks with enhanced printability.
• Demonstrated potential for creating high-resolution, cell-laden hydrogel constructs.

Conclusions:

• Photocurable natural biopolymer derivatives offer a promising approach for creating advanced bioinks.
• These tailored bioinks are suitable for coaxial-based 3D bioprinting, supporting cell viability and construct integrity.
• This work advances the development of functional biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.