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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Novel Process for 3D Printing Decellularized Matrices
Published on: January 7, 2019
Ready-to-use 3D bioprinted scaffolds from natural materials loaded with patient's PRGF for personalized skin
Lidia Maeso1,2, Eduardo Anitua3,4, Roberto Tierno3,4
1Basque Sustainable Pharmacy and Biotherapy Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
Abstract:
Chronic skin wounds demand individualized regenerative approaches that integrate structural support with controlled biological activity. To address this need, this study develops a ready-to-use (RTU) bioprinted scaffold generated from an extrusion-screened gelatin-alginate bioink selected for its rheological and mechanical behavior. The scaffold is ionically crosslinked, lyophilized, and rehydrated with autologous platelet-rich growth factors (PRGFs), yielding a mechanically stable matrix with favorable swelling, degradation, and viscoelastic properties. PRGF loading enables sustained release of bioactive factors for 48 h. In vitro assays with fibroblasts demonstrate cytocompatibility, adhesion, and proliferation, while ex vivo organotypic human skin cultures show reduced cellular damage and inflammatory markers together with enhanced extracellular matrix remodeling, evidenced by a gradual transition toward collagen type I and enhanced elastin deposition. These results highlight how combining bioprinting, acellular biomaterials, and autologous growth factor delivery can create customizable platforms for patient-specific wound therapy with translational potential for advanced clinical wound care.
