title: Hydrogel bioprinted microchannel networks for vascularization of tissue engineering constructs.
abstract: Vascularization remains a critical challenge in tissue engineering. The development of vascular networks within densely populated and metabolically functional tissues facilitate transport of nutrients and removal of waste products, thus preserving cellular viability over a long period of time. Despite tremendous progress in fabricating complex tissue constructs in the past few years, approaches for controlled vascularization within hydrogel based engineered tissue constructs have remained limited. Here, we report a three dimensional (3D) micromolding technique utilizing bioprinted agarose template fibers to fabricate microchannel networks with various architectural features within photocrosslinkable hydrogel constructs. Using the proposed approach, we were able to successfully embed functional and perfusable microchannels inside methacrylated gelatin (GelMA), star poly(ethylene glycol-co-lactide) acrylate (SPELA), poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels at different concentrations. In particular, GelMA hydrogels were used as a model to demonstrate the functionality of the fabricated vascular networks in improving mass transport, cellular viability and differentiation within the cell-laden tissue constructs. In addition, successful formation of endothelial monolayers within the fabricated channels was confirmed. Overall, our proposed strategy represents an effective technique for vascularization of hydrogel constructs with useful applications in tissue engineering and organs on a chip.
authors.affiliation: Biomaterials Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Luiz E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Bertassoni
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cecconi
authors.forename: Vijayan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manoharan
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikkhah
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hjortnaes
authors.forename: Ana Luiza
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cristino
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barabaschi
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demarchi
authors.forename: Mehmet R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dokmeci
authors.forename: Yunzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khademhosseini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002460:Cell Line; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D012685:Sepharose / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012685:Sepharose