On-chip fabrication and in-flow 3D-printing of microgel constructs: from chip to scaffold materials in one integral process

Reineke B, Paulus I, Löffelsend S, Yu CH, Vinogradov D, Meyer A, Hazur J, Röder J, Vollmer M, Tamgüney G, Hauschild S, Boccaccini AR, Groll J, Förster S (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Biofabrication IOP Publishing

Book Volume: 16

Article Number: 025038

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ad3318

Abstract

Bioprinting has evolved into a thriving technology for the fabrication of cell-laden scaffolds. Bioinks are the most critical component for bioprinting. Recently, microgels have been introduced as a very promising bioink, enabling cell protection and the control of the cellular microenvironment. However, the fabrication of the bioinks involves the microfluidic production of the microgels, with a subsequent multistep process to obtain the bioink, which so far has limited its application potential. Here we introduce a direct coupling of microfluidics and 3D-printing for the continuous microfluidic production of microgels with direct in-flow printing into stable scaffolds. The 3D-channel design of the microfluidic chip provides access to different hydrodynamic microdroplet formation regimes to cover a broad range of droplet and microgel diameters. After exiting a microtubing the produced microgels are hydrodynamically jammed into thin microgel filaments for direct 3D-printing into two- and three-dimensional scaffolds. The methodology enables the continuous on-chip encapsulation of cells into monodisperse microdroplets with subsequent in-flow cross-linking to produce cell-laden microgels. The method is demonstrated for different cross-linking methods and cell lines. This advancement will enable a direct coupling of microfluidics and 3D-bioprinting for scaffold fabrication.

Authors with CRIS profile

Jonas Hazur Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Biomaterialien) Jonas Röder Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Biomaterialien) Aldo Boccaccini Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Biomaterialien)

Additional Organisation(s)

FAU Forschungszentrum Neue Wirkstoffe (FAU NeW)

Involved external institutions

Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE) Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Reineke, B., Paulus, I., Löffelsend, S., Yu, C.H., Vinogradov, D., Meyer, A.,... Förster, S. (2024). On-chip fabrication and in-flow 3D-printing of microgel constructs: from chip to scaffold materials in one integral process. Biofabrication, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ad3318

MLA:

Reineke, Benjamin, et al. "On-chip fabrication and in-flow 3D-printing of microgel constructs: from chip to scaffold materials in one integral process." Biofabrication 16.2 (2024).

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