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Bioprinting microporous functional living materials from protein-based core-shell microgels
Yangteng Ou1,2,3, Shixiang Cao4, Yang Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Materials-oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu South Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China.
Nature Communications
|January 19, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed a core-shell microgel ink for advanced bioprinting. This innovation enables precise control over cellular microenvironments and creates robust living materials for enhanced bioprocessing applications.
Area of Science:
- Material Science
- Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Living materials integrate material science and biology for novel functionalities.
- Bioprinting offers precise control but struggles with cell microenvironment tuning and macroscopic structure.
- Existing methods face challenges in maintaining cell viability and structural integrity during printing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a core-shell microgel ink strategy to decouple cell microenvironments from structural components.
- To enable fine-tuning of cellular microenvironments within printed constructs.
- To create robust, functional living materials with enhanced bioprocessing capabilities.
Main Methods:
- Microfluidic immobilization of cells within the viscous core of core-shell microgels.
- Utilizing interparticle annealing for covalent stabilization of microgel scaffolds.
- Controlled deposition and processing of core-shell microgels for scaffold fabrication.
Main Results:
- The core-shell strategy effectively prevented cell leakage and provided a supportive environment for cell culture.
- Mammalian cellular spheroids and microbial populations were successfully formed within the microgel cores.
- Printed scaffolds demonstrated controlled microporosity and covalent stabilization.
- Compartmentalization of microbial consortia within separate microgels significantly enhanced collective bioprocessing capabilities.
Conclusions:
- The core-shell microgel ink is a viable approach for creating advanced living materials.
- This method overcomes limitations in current bioprinting techniques regarding cell microenvironment control and structural integrity.
- The developed scaffolds show promise for diverse applications, particularly in augmenting living materials with enhanced bioprocessing functions.
