Tissue-Specific Hydrogels for Three-Dimensional Printing and Potential Application in Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogel (dECM-G) offers tissue-specificity and biocompatibility for tissue engineering.
• Limitations include poor mechanical stability and rapid degradation, hindering 3D printing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a hybrid hydrogel system with enhanced printability and structural integrity for tissue engineering.
• To investigate the bioactivity and potential of a GelMA/dECM-G hybrid hydrogel for neural tissue regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Developed a hybrid hydrogel by combining dECM-G with photocrosslinkable gelatin methacrylate (GelMA).
• Utilized dECM-G derived from porcine peripheral nerves (pDNM-G) for neural tissue applications.
• Incorporated nerve cells into the GelMA/pDNM-G hydrogel for 3D culture and extrusion-based bioprinting.

Main Results:

• The hybrid GelMA/pDNM-G hydrogel exhibited improved printability and structural fidelity compared to dECM-G alone.
• The hydrogel maintained high bioactivity and tissue-specificity, promoting neurite growth and Schwann cell migration.
• Bioprinted constructs using GelMA/pDNM-G demonstrated high cell viability and potential for functional tissue recapitulation.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid hydrogels of GelMA and dECM-G offer a promising platform for advanced biomaterials in neural tissue engineering.
• This approach provides a viable strategy for incorporating decellularized matrices into bioprinting for regenerative medicine applications.