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Updated: Nov 17, 2025
Human Cartilage Tissue Fabrication Using Three-dimensional Inkjet Printing Technology
Published on: June 10, 2014
Bioprinting of human nasoseptal chondrocytes-laden collagen hydrogel for cartilage tissue engineering
Xiaoyi Lan1, Yan Liang2, Esra J N Erkut2
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Abstract:
Skin cancer patients often have tumorigenic lesions on their noses. Surgical resection of the lesions often results in nasal cartilage removal. Cartilage grafts taken from other anatomical sites are used for the surgical reconstruction of the nasal cartilage, but donor-site morbidity is a common problem. Autologous tissue-engineered nasal cartilage grafts can mitigate the problem, but commercially available scaffolds define the shape and sizes of the engineered grafts during tissue fabrication. Moreover, the engineered grafts suffer from the inhomogeneous distribution of the functional matrix of cartilage. Advances in 3D bioprinting technology offer the opportunity to engineer cartilages with customizable dimensions and anatomically shaped configurations without the inhomogeneous distribution of cartilage matrix. Here, we report the fidelity of Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogel (FRESH) bioprinting as a strategy to generate customizable and homogenously distributed functional cartilage matrix engineered nasal cartilage. Using FRESH and in vitro chondrogenesis, we have fabricated tissue-engineered nasal cartilage from combining bovine type I collagen hydrogel and human nasoseptal chondrocytes. The engineered nasal cartilage constructs displayed molecular, biochemical and histological characteristics akin to native human nasal cartilage.
Insights
Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogel (FRESH) bioprinting creates engineered nasal cartilage. This 3D bioprinting method offers customizable, homogenous cartilage grafts for reconstructive surgery, overcoming donor site limitations.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Tissue Engineering
- 3D Bioprinting
Background:
- Skin cancer surgery often necessitates nasal cartilage removal, leading to donor-site morbidity with traditional grafts.
- Current tissue-engineered cartilage grafts face limitations due to scaffold-defined shapes and inhomogeneous matrix distribution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fidelity of Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogel (FRESH) bioprinting for creating patient-specific, homogenous engineered nasal cartilage.
- To develop an alternative to traditional cartilage grafts for nasal reconstruction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized FRESH 3D bioprinting technology with a bovine type I collagen hydrogel and human nasoseptal chondrocytes.
- Fabricated engineered nasal cartilage constructs using in vitro chondrogenesis.
- Assessed the molecular, biochemical, and histological characteristics of the engineered cartilage.
Main Results:
- FRESH bioprinting successfully generated engineered nasal cartilage with customizable dimensions and anatomically shaped configurations.
- The engineered cartilage exhibited a homogenous distribution of the functional cartilage matrix.
- The resulting constructs displayed characteristics similar to native human nasal cartilage.
Conclusions:
- FRESH bioprinting is a viable strategy for fabricating functional, engineered nasal cartilage with homogenous matrix distribution.
- This approach offers a promising solution for nasal reconstruction, potentially mitigating donor-site morbidity.
- The engineered cartilage shows potential for clinical application in treating nasal defects.
