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Printing Cell Embedded Sacrificial Strategy for Microvasculature using Degradable DNA Biolubricant
Jiezhong Shi1,2,3, Yifei Wan2, Haoyang Jia1
1Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|October 26, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed a novel DNA-based bioprinting method to create the smallest endothelialized microvasculature to date. This direct cell printing technique advances tissue engineering and organ repair possibilities.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Microvasculature is crucial for cell viability in tissues and vital for tissue engineering, organ repair, and drug screening.
- Current methods for fabricating microvasculature face challenges, limiting advancements in these fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, direct cell printing strategy for fabricating microvasculature.
- To overcome limitations of existing microvasculature fabrication techniques.
Main Methods:
- Developed a general PRINting Cell Embedded Sacrificial Strategy (PRINCESS) using degradable DNA biolubricant.
- Utilized the shear-thinning and self-healing properties of DNA hydrogels for high-resolution bioprinting.
- Achieved direct cell printing, eliminating the need for post-fabrication cell seeding.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated endothelialized microvasculature with a diameter of 70 μm, surpassing the previous 100 μm limit.
- Demonstrated the smallest endothelialized microvasculature ever bioprinted.
- Created continuous branched vascular structures using the self-healing hydrogel properties.
Conclusions:
- The PRINCESS strategy offers a new platform for constructing complex vascular networks, advancing thick tissue engineering.
- This technique minimizes sacrificial biolubricant volume, enhancing practical applications in tissue engineering.
- The high-resolution bioprinting shows potential for future applications in printing lymphatics, retinas, and neural networks.
