title: Generation of three-dimensional hepatocyte/gelatin structures with rapid prototyping system.
abstract: Using rapid prototyping technology, three-dimensional (3D) structures composed of hepatocytes and gelatin hydrogel have been formed. This technique employs a highly accurate 3D micropositioning system with a pressure-controlled syringe to deposit cell/biomaterial structures with a lateral resolution of 10 microm. The pressure-activated micro-syringe is equipped with a fine-bore exit needle for which a wide variety of 3D patterns with different arrays of channels (through-holes) were created. More than 30 layers of a hepatocyte/gelatin mixture were laminated into a high spacial structure using this method. The laminated hepatocytes remained viable and performed biological functions in the construct for more than 2 months. The rapid prototyping technology offers potential for eventual high-throughout production of artificial human tissues or organs.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing by Materials Processing Technology and Center of Organism Manufacturing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. wangxiaochong@tsinghua.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongnian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yuqiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Haixia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Rendong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Renji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qingping
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005780:Gelatin; D005976:Glutaral; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D051381:Rats; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005780:Gelatin; D005976:Glutaral