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Updated: Jun 30, 2025
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Viability of Bioprinted Cellular Constructs Using a Three Dispenser Cartesian Printer
Published on: September 22, 2015
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Measuring cell proliferation in bioprinting research.
Sophie Schweinitzer1,2, Masoumeh Jahani Kadousaraei2, Mehmet Serhat Aydin2
1Department of Biochemistry, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Biomedical Materials (Bristol, England)
|March 22, 2024
Summary
Assessing cell proliferation in 3D bioprinted hydrogels is crucial for tissue engineering. Current methods show inaccuracies and discrepancies when used with bioinks, suggesting multiple assays are needed for reliable cell proliferation assessment.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting of cells in hydrogels is key for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
- Reliable assessment of encapsulated cell viability and proliferation is essential for these constructs.
- Existing proliferation assays, developed for 2D cultures, may not be suitable for 3D bioinks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the suitability of common cell proliferation assays for 3D bioprinted hydrogels.
- To compare the accuracy and consistency of different assays (AlamarBlue, PicoGreen, visual counts) in various bioinks (GelMA, sodium alginate).
- To determine the influence of bioinks and culture dimensionality on proliferation assay outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Human fibroblasts were encapsulated in gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and sodium alginate hydrogels using casting and 3D bioprinting.
- Cell proliferation was assessed using AlamarBlue assay, PicoGreen DNA quantification, and visual cell counts.
- Standard curves were generated from both 2D cultures and 3D hydrogels for data extrapolation.
Main Results:
- Potential inaccuracies were observed when comparing data from 2D-derived standard curves with 3D hydrogel results.
- Significant discrepancies in cell numbers were found among the different proliferation assays.
- The choice of bioink (GelMA vs. sodium alginate) markedly influenced the outcomes of the proliferation assays.
Conclusions:
- Standard proliferation assays developed for 2D cultures may yield inaccurate results when applied to 3D bioprinted constructs.
- Discrepancies between assays highlight the need for careful method selection in bioink-based cell proliferation studies.
- Applying multiple assessment methods is recommended for a more accurate evaluation of cell proliferation within bioinks for tissue engineering applications.
