Printable ADA-GEL-based composite inks containing Zn-doped bioactive inorganic fillers for skeletal muscle biofabrication

Lu HH, Froidevaux C, Biermann I, Kaňková H, Büchner M, Schubert DW, Salehi S, Boccaccini AR (2025)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Biomaterials Advances Elsevier

Book Volume: 172

Article Number: 214233

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2025.214233

Abstract

Bioprinting shows significant promise in advancing medical treatments by offering patient-specific solutions for repairing skeletal muscle tissues. Zinc (Zn) is one of the key ions in the human body involved in the development of myogenic cells. This study investigates the integration of Zn-doped bioactive inorganic fillers (BIFs) into alginate-dialdehyde-gelatin (ADA-GEL) as composite ink for bioprinting applications. BIFs were mesoporous calcium-silicate-based bioactive glass nanoparticles with nominal composition: 80% SiO2-X% CaO-Y% ZnO (X = 20, 18, 15, or 10; Y = 0, 2, 5, or 10; mol%). Ion release profiles confirmed that the addition of Zn ions prevented the burst release of Si and Ca ions. The incorporation of BIFs, particularly at higher dopant concentrations, significantly affected the hydrogel swelling and mechanical properties. With increasing concentration of Zn ions (to 5 mol%), the hydrogels exhibited greater dimensional swelling after 24 h of incubation in aqueous solutions, while all compositions lost weight over time after the initial swelling phase. Indirect cell studies demonstrated that 0.1 wt% BIFs extracts, obtained after 24 h-incubation in a cell culture medium, were cytocompatible with C2C12 cells. Furthermore, bioprinted C2C12 cells encapsulated in the bioinks showed a clear increase in cell number after seven days of culture. In particular, cells in the composite inks containing Zn-BIFs exhibited higher spreading, elongation, and alignment than those in pure ADA-GEL, indicating the biological activity provided by the Zn-BIF particles. This study introduces therefore an effective formulation of ADA-GEL-based composite bioinks enriched with Zn-containing nanoparticles for skeletal muscle tissue engineering applications.

Authors with CRIS profile

Hsuan-Heng Lu Sonderforschungsbereich/Transregio 225/2 Von den Grundlagen der Biofabrikation zu funktionalen Gewebemodellen Clara Froidevaux Sonderforschungsbereich 1540/1 - Erforschung der Mechanik des Gehirns (EBM): Verständnis, Engineering und Nutzung mechanischer Eigenschaften und Signale in der Entwicklung, Physiologie und Pathologie des zentralen Nervensystems Margitta Büchner Sonderforschungsbereich/Transregio 225/2 Von den Grundlagen der Biofabrikation zu funktionalen Gewebemodellen Dirk Schubert Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Polymerwerkstoffe) (LSP) Aldo Boccaccini Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Biomaterialien)

Additional Organisation(s)

FAU Forschungszentrum Neue Wirkstoffe (FAU NeW)

Involved external institutions

Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg DE Germany (DE) Trenčianska univerzita Alexandra Dubčeka v Trenčíne SK Slovakia (SK) Universität Bayreuth DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Lu, H.-H., Froidevaux, C., Biermann, I., Kaňková, H., Büchner, M., Schubert, D.W.,... Boccaccini, A.R. (2025). Printable ADA-GEL-based composite inks containing Zn-doped bioactive inorganic fillers for skeletal muscle biofabrication. Biomaterials Advances, 172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2025.214233

MLA:

Lu, Hsuan-Heng, et al. "Printable ADA-GEL-based composite inks containing Zn-doped bioactive inorganic fillers for skeletal muscle biofabrication." Biomaterials Advances 172 (2025).

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