3D Bioprinted Highly Elastic Hybrid Constructs for Advanced Fibrocartilaginous Tissue Regeneration

Advanced strategies to bioengineer a fibrocartilaginous tissue to restore the function of the meniscus are necessary. Currently, 3D bioprinting technologies have been employed to fabricate clinically relevant patient-specific complex constructs to address unmet clinical needs. In this study, a highly elastic hybrid construct for fibrocartilaginous regeneration is produced by co-printing a cell-laden gellan gum/fibrinogen (GG/FB) composite bioink together with a silk fibroin methacrylate (Sil-MA) bioink in an interleaved crosshatch pattern. We characterize each bioink formulation by measuring the rheological properties, swelling ratio, and compressive mechanical behavior. For in vitro biological evaluations, porcine primary meniscus cells (pMCs) are isolated and suspended in the GG/FB bioink for the printing process. The results show that the GG/FB bioink provides a proper cellular microenvironment for maintaining the cell viability and proliferation capacity, as well as the maturation of the pMCs in the bioprinted constructs, while the Sil-MA bioink offers excellent biomechanical behavior and structural integrity. More importantly, this bioprinted hybrid system shows the fibrocartilaginous tissue formation without a dimensional change in a mouse subcutaneous implantation model during the 10-week postimplantation. Especially, the alignment of collagen fibers is achieved in the bioprinted hybrid constructs. The results demonstrate this bioprinted mechanically reinforced hybrid construct offers a versatile and promising alternative for the production of advanced fibrocartilaginous tissue.