Rapid Deep Vat Printing Using Photoclickable Collagen-Based Bioresins

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Bioprinting Technologies

Background:

• Deep vat printing (DVP) offers high-resolution, high-speed layer-free bioprinting.
• Collagen is a key biomaterial in tissue engineering, but its use in DVP is limited.
• Existing DVP methods face challenges with optical properties and material stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop photoclickable collagen-based resins compatible with DVP.
• To enhance the stability and optical properties of collagen bioresins.
• To demonstrate multi-material DVP for creating complex, biomimetic tissue constructs.

Main Methods:

• Development of photoclickable collagen-based resins with iodixanol as a refractive index matching agent.
• Utilization of tomographic and filamented light (Flight) DVP techniques.
• Fabrication of multi-material constructs with muscle and connective tissue interfaces.

Main Results:

• Achieved print resolution up to 50 µm and printing speeds under 20 s/cm³.
• Demonstrated improved resin stability under neutral conditions and reduced optical inhomogeneities.
• Created intricate tissue constructs with aligned myotubes, transition zones, and biomimetic sarcomere structure (≈2.6 µm).

Conclusions:

• Photoclickable, isotonic, and neutral collagen-based bioresins are suitable for DVP.
• This advancement provides a novel solution for fabricating biomimetic complex tissues and grafts.
• The developed resins and methods enable enhanced biomimicry and functionality in engineered tissues.