A sturgeon cartilage extracellular matrix-derived bioactive bioink for tissue engineering applications

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived bioinks are crucial for tissue and organ engineering.
• Developing effective bioinks for cartilage tissue engineering remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and evaluate a novel bioink derived from decellularized sturgeon cartilage ECM (dSC-ECM) for cartilage tissue engineering.
• To assess the printability, biocompatibility, and in vivo efficacy of the dSC-ECM-based bioink.

Main Methods:

• Methacrylate-modified dSC-ECM (dSC-ECMMA) and sericin methacrylate (SerMA) were used to create bioinks.
• The dSC-ECM-5 bioink (containing 5 mg/mL dSC-ECMMA) was selected based on optimized mechanical properties and normal chondrocyte proliferation.
• 3D bioprinting, in vitro cell culture, and subcutaneous implantation in nude mice were employed for evaluation.

Main Results:

• The dSC-ECM-5 bioink demonstrated high fidelity and good printability.
• Encapsulated chondrocytes remained viable and proliferated normally in the printed constructs.
• In vivo studies showed that dSC-ECM-5 bioink significantly enhanced cartilage tissue regeneration and maturation compared to SerMA bioink.

Conclusions:

• The dSC-ECM-5 bioink is a promising candidate for cartilage tissue engineering due to its excellent printability, biocompatibility, and ability to promote in vivo cartilage regeneration.
• This novel bioink holds potential for future clinical applications in repairing cartilage defects.