Prolonged Cell Encapsulation and Gravity-independent Filamented Light Biofabrication of Muscle Constructs

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Space Biology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Bioprinting human tissues in space for grafts and models is a growing field.
• Current methods struggle with printing aligned tissues and long-term cell encapsulation in microgravity.
• Existing photoresins are difficult to handle and do not support prolonged cell viability in space conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel biofabrication system and photoresin formulations for effective tissue engineering in microgravity.
• To enable long-term storage and handling of cell-laden bioresins in space.
• To assess the viability and quality of microgravity-printed muscle constructs.

Main Methods:

• Demonstration of a gravity-independent filamented light (G-FLight) biofabrication system.
• Development of new gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)-based photoresin formulations for primary cell encapsulation (murine myoblasts).
• Evaluation of cell viability, proliferation, myotube formation, and fusion index in microgravity-printed tissues compared to ground controls.

Main Results:

• The G-FLight system successfully created viable muscle constructs rapidly.
• New GelMA resins allowed for cell encapsulation and storage for over a week at 4°C or -80°C.
• Microgravity-printed tissues showed enhanced cell viability, proliferation, myotube formation, and fusion compared to controls, with results comparable to on-ground printing.

Conclusions:

• The G-Flight system and new photoresins offer a viable solution for biofabrication in space.
• The developed resins support refrigeration or cryopreservation of encapsulated cells, crucial for long-duration space missions.
• This technology advances the potential for creating functional human tissue grafts and models in microgravity environments.