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Storable Cell-Laden Alginate Based Bioinks for 3D Biofabrication
Anastassia Kostenko1,2, Che J Connon1,2, Stephen Swioklo1
1Atelerix Ltd, The Biosphere, Draymans Way, Newcastle Helix, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5BX, UK.
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 21, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a novel method for storing cells in alginate at room temperature for later 3D bioprinting. This advance simplifies bioink preparation and supports on-demand bioprinting for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Bioprinting Technology
Background:
- Three dimensional (3D) bioprinting offers significant potential for drug discovery and tissue engineering.
- Clinical translation of bioprinted constructs requires efficient biologistics, including cell storage and transportation.
- Alginate is a widely used hydrogel bioink due to its biocompatibility and ease of modification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective system for storing alginate-encapsulated cells at controlled room temperature (CRT).
- To reformulate stored cells into an extrudable bioink for on-demand 3D bioprinting.
- To investigate the use of alginate for both cell storage and subsequent bio-printing.
Main Methods:
- Human adipose-derived stem cells were encapsulated in crosslinked alginate and stored at CRT (15 °C) for one week.
- Stored alginate-encapsulated cells underwent degelation and mixing with a second alginate solution to create a printable bioink.
- The printability of the reformulated bioink was optimized using extrusion-based 3D bioprinting.
Main Results:
- A four-step process enabled CRT storage of alginate-encapsulated cells.
- Optimal bioink printability was achieved with 4% and 5% (w/v) alginate concentrations.
- Stored cells showed a high viable cell recovery of 88 ± 18% after one week at 15 °C.
- Printed constructs exhibited excellent post-print cell viability and distribution.
Conclusions:
- A simple and adaptable method integrates room temperature storage with on-demand 3D bioprinting.
- This approach enhances the feasibility of clinical translation for bioprinted tissues.
- Utilizing alginate for both storage and printing streamlines the bioprinting workflow.
