3D bioprinting of GelMA with enhanced extrusion printability through coupling sacrificial carrageenan

• Published in: Biomaterials science 2024-01, Vol.12 (3), p.738-747
• Main Authors: Wang, Xueping, Jiang, Jinhong, Yuan, Chenhui, Gu, Lin, Zhang, XinYu, Yao, Yudong, Shao, Lei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D printers; Biocompatibility; Biological activity; Biomedical materials; Carrageenan; Lubricating properties; Performance enhancement; Room temperature; Stability; Three dimensional printing; Tissue engineering; Viscosity
• ISSN: 2047-4830; 2047-4849
• DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01489d

The potential of 3D bioprinting in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is enormous, but its implementation is hindered by the reliance on high-strength materials, which restricts the use of low-viscosity, biocompatible materials. Therefore, a major challenge for incorporating 3D bioprinting into tissue engineering is to develop a novel bioprinting platform that can reversibly provide high biological activity materials with a structural support. This study presents a room temperature printing system based on GelMA combined with carrageenan to address this challenge. By leveraging the wide temperature stability range and lubricating properties of carrageenan the room temperature stability of GelMA could be enhanced, as well as creating a solid ink to improve the performance of solid GelMA. Additionally, by utilizing the solubility of carrageenan at 37 °C, it becomes possible to prepare a porous GelMA structure while mimicking the unique extracellular matrix properties of osteocytes through residual carrageenan content and amplifying BMSCs' osteogenesis potential to some extent. Overall, this study provides an innovative technical platform for incorporating a low-viscosity ink into 3D bioprinting and resolves the long-standing contradiction between material printing performance and biocompatibility in bioprinting technology. This study developed a novel 3D bioprinting platform using GelMA and carrageenan, which enhanced printability at 28 °C, without changing cell viability, and showed potential for promoting osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.