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A Microfluidic Device to Fabricate One-Step Cell Bead-Laden Hydrogel Struts for Tissue Engineering
JuYeon Kim1, Hyeongjin Lee1, Eun-Ju Jin2
1Department of Biomechatronics Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|December 2, 2021
Summary
This study introduces a novel microfluidic method to create enhanced bioprinted structures with increased cell-to-cell interactions. These hybrid structures improve cellular activity and tissue regeneration, offering a promising advancement for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Cell-to-cell interactions are crucial for tissue development and stem cell fate in tissue engineering.
- Conventional bioprinted structures exhibit limited cell-cell interactions, hindering therapeutic applications.
- Enhancing cell-cell communication in engineered tissues is a key challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for fabricating cell-laden hybrid structures with increased cell-to-cell interactions.
- To improve the therapeutic potential of bioprinted constructs for tissue restoration.
- To investigate the impact of enhanced cell-cell interaction on cellular activity and in vivo tissue regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of cell-aggregated microbeads using a microfluidic device.
- Development of a one-step process for creating cell-bead laden hybrid structures with methacrylated gelatin (GelMa) and alginate bioinks.
- Optimization of flow rates for homogeneous distribution of cell beads within hydrogel struts.
- In vitro assessment of cellular activities and in vivo implantation of hybrid struts for myogenesis evaluation.
Main Results:
- The microfluidic approach successfully created hybrid structures with cell-aggregated microbeads, significantly increasing cell-to-cell interactions.
- Hybrid struts demonstrated substantially higher cellular activities compared to conventional bioprinted constructs.
- In vivo studies showed significantly enhanced myogenesis in hybrid struts containing adipose stem cells compared to control groups.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic strategy effectively enhances cell-to-cell interactions in bioprinted constructs.
- This novel approach offers a promising platform for advanced tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
- The improved cellular activity and in vivo performance highlight the potential of these hybrid structures for therapeutic applications.
