An additive manufacturing-based PCL-alginate-chondrocyte bioprinted scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering.
Regenerative medicine is targeted to improve, restore or replace damaged tissues or organs using a combination of cells, materials and growth factors. Both tissue engineering and developmental biology currently deal with the process of tissue self-assembly and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. In this investigation, additive manufacturing (AM) with a multihead deposition system (MHDS) was used to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) cell-printed scaffolds using layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chondrocyte cell-encapsulated alginate hydrogel. Appropriate cell dispensing conditions and optimum alginate concentrations for maintaining cell viability were determined. In vitro cell-based biochemical assays were performed to determine glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), DNA and total collagen contents from different PCL-alginate gel constructs. PCL-alginate gels containing transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) showed higher ECM formation. The 3D cell-printed scaffolds of PCL-alginate gel were implanted in the dorsal subcutaneous spaces of female nude mice. Histochemical [Alcian blue and haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining] and immunohistochemical (type II collagen) analyses of the retrieved implants after 4 weeks revealed enhanced cartilage tissue and type II collagen fibril formation in the PCL-alginate gel (+TGFβ) hybrid scaffold. In conclusion, we present an innovative cell-printed scaffold for cartilage regeneration fabricated by an advanced bioprinting technology.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Kyungbuk, South Korea.
Joydip
J
Kundu
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Kyungbuk, South Korea.
Jin-Hyung
JH
Shim
Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Kyungbuk, South Korea.
Jinah
J
Jang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Sung-Won
SW
Kim
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Kyungbuk, South Korea.|Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Kyungbuk, South Korea.
Dong-Woo
DW
Cho
D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D062028:Bioprinting; D002356:Cartilage / Q000473:pathology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000737:chemistry; D004867:Equipment Design; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000473:pathology; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D012038:Regeneration; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
D000464:Alginates; D024043:Collagen Type II; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D011091:Polyesters; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C016240:polycaprolactone; D020723:Glucuronic Acid
additive manufacturing; cartilage regeneration; cell printing; cell-printed scaffold; tissue engineering