Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025
08:34
Bioprinting Cellularized Constructs Using a Tissue-specific Hydrogel Bioink
Published on: April 21, 2016
17.2K
Nanoengineered shear-thinning and bioprintable hydrogel as a versatile platform for biomedical applications
Nooshin Zandi1, Ehsan Shirzaei Sani2, Ebrahim Mostafavi3
1Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-11155, Tehran, Iran; Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachuestts, 02115, United States.
Biomaterials
|November 2, 2020
Summary
New shear-thinning bioinks using laponite and glycosaminoglycan nanoparticles enable precise 3D bioprinting of bone tissue constructs. These advanced hydrogels protect cells and promote osteogenic differentiation for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing advanced bioinks is crucial for creating complex 3D physiological microenvironments using bioprinting.
- Extrusion-based bioprinting faces challenges in maintaining structural integrity and protecting cells from shear stress.
- Shear-thinning and self-healing hydrogels offer potential solutions for overcoming these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel shear-thinning and printable hydrogels for bioprinting applications.
- To create a bioink capable of protecting encapsulated cells and enabling the fabrication of complex 3D structures.
- To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo performance of the developed hydrogels for bone tissue engineering.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of nanocomposite hydrogels (GLgels) using laponite (LA) and glycosaminoglycan nanoparticles (GAGNPs).
- Characterization of hydrogel properties including shear-thinning behavior, self-healing capacity, printability, and rheological recovery.
- In vitro assessment of cell viability, proliferation, spreading, and osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated pre-osteoblasts.
- In vivo evaluation of biocompatibility and biodegradability through subcutaneous implantation in rats.
Main Results:
- GLgels exhibited rapid formation, excellent shear-thinning properties, and fast self-healing capabilities.
- The bioink facilitated straightforward printing of shape-persistent, free-standing structures with high aspect ratios.
- In vitro studies confirmed robust cell growth, proliferation, spreading, and osteogenic differentiation within the hydrogels.
- In vivo implantation demonstrated good biocompatibility and biodegradability of the GLgels.
Conclusions:
- The developed shear-thinning GLgels are suitable for extrusion-based bioprinting, protecting cells and enabling the creation of complex 3D constructs.
- These hydrogels support cell growth and osteogenic differentiation, showing promise for bone tissue engineering.
- The material's biocompatibility and biodegradability support its potential for in vivo applications in regenerative medicine.
