title: Mechanically reinforced cell-laden scaffolds formed using alginate-based bioink printed onto the surface of a PCL/alginate mesh structure for regeneration of hard tissue.
abstract: Cell-printing technology has provided a new paradigm for biofabrication, with potential to overcome several shortcomings of conventional scaffold-based tissue regeneration strategies via controlled delivery of various cell types in well-defined target regions. Here we describe a cell-printing method to obtain mechanically reinforced multi-layered cell-embedded scaffolds, formed of micron-scale poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/alginate struts coated with alginate-based bioink. To compare the physical and cellular activities, we used a scaffold composed of pure alginate (without cells) coated PCL/alginate struts as a control. We systematically varied the ratio of alginate cross-linking agent, and determined the optimal cell-coating conditions to form the PCL/alginate struts. Following fabrication of the cell (MG63)-laden PCL/alginate scaffold, the bioactivity was evaluated in vitro. The laden cells exhibited a substantially more developed cytoskeleton compared with those on a control scaffold consisting of the same material composition. Based on these results, the printed cells exhibited a significantly more homogenous distribution within the scaffold compared with the control. Cell proliferation was determined via MTT assays at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days of culture, and the proliferation of the cell-printed scaffold was substantially in excess (∼2.4-fold) of that on the control. Furthermore, the osteogenic activity such as ALP was measured, and the cell-laden scaffold exhibited significantly greater activity (∼3.2-fold) compared with the control scaffold.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Bok
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeongjin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gi-Hoon
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: DaeWeon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Heon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Kyo
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Burn Institute, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea. Electronic address: gkimbme@skku.edu.
authors.forename: Geun Hyung
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010316:Particle Size; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D012038:Regeneration; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Bioink; Cell-laden process; Scaffold; Tissue engineering