Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Printing Thermoresponsive Reverse Molds for the Creation of Patterned Two-component Hydrogels for 3D Cell Culture
Published on: July 10, 2013
Printable and Tunable Bioresin with Strategically Decorated Molecular Structures
Celia Rufo-Martín1,2,3, Diego Infante-García4, José Díaz-Álvarez3
1Experimental Mechanics Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
None:
As personalized medicine rapidly evolves, there is a critical demand for advanced biocompatible materials surpassing current additive manufacturing capabilities. This study presents a novel printable bioresin engineered with tunable mechanical, thermal, and biocompatibility properties through strategic molecular modifications. The study introduces a new bioresin comprising methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and a photoinitiator, which is further enhanced by incorporating high molecular weight polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to improve biostability and mechanical performance. The integration of printable PMMA presents several synthesis and processing challenges, necessitating substantial modifications to the 3D printing process. Additionally, the bioresin is functionalized with antibacterial silver oxide and bone-growth-promoting hydroxyapatite at various weight ratios to extend its application further. The results demonstrate the agile printability of the novel bioresin and its potential for transformative impact in biomedical applications, offering a versatile material platform for additive manufacturing-enabled personalized medicine. This work highlights the adaptability of the novel printable bioresin for real-life applications and its capacity for multiscale structural tailoring, potentially achieving properties comparable to native tissues and extending beyond conventional additive manufacturing techniques.
Related Concept Videos
Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
Animal and Plant Cell Structure
Cell Division
Though both plant and animal cells divide by mitosis (for non-gametic cells) and meiosis (for gametic cells), they differ in the specifics of this process. Unlike animal cells, plant cells lack centrosomes — an organelle responsible for organizing the spindle fibers and segregating the chromosomes during cell...
Structural Protein Function
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to form...
Integrins
Some ECM proteins assemble into a basement membrane to which the remaining components adhere. Proteoglycans typically form the bulk of the ECM while fibrous proteins, like collagen,...
Transduction

