Bioprinting of piezoresistive organohydrogel networks for advanced real-time mechanosensing in engineered tissue models

Filippi M, Badolato A, Georgopoulou A, Mock D, Schreiner J, Michelis MY, Amstad E, Katzschmann RK (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Trends in Biotechnology Elsevier

DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.05.026

Abstract

Understanding biomechanics in 3D cell culture is key to advancing tissue engineering, yet integrating real-time sensing into soft tissues remains a challenge. We developed a stretchable, piezoresistive hydrogel by combining PEDOT:PSS with a polyvinyl alcohol–sodium alginate matrix, optimized for detecting mechanical stimuli. This conductive organohydrogel exhibited a linear strain response. It was co-printed with a muscle cell-laden bioink to fabricate complex tissue architectures, maintaining structural stability and supporting tissue maturation. The embedded conductive hydrogel functioned as a flexible strain sensor, capable of detecting both bulk and localized mechanical inputs, with high sensitivity (0.054 per unit strain) and a strain detection limit of approximately 3%. Sensor data enabled spatial mapping of mechanical forces, offering a new strategy for real-time mechanosensing in engineered tissues. This approach provides a novel solution for integrating soft, biocompatible sensors into living tissues for applications in biomechanics and regenerative medicine.

Involved external institutions

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ) / Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich CH Switzerland (CH) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) CH Switzerland (CH)

How to cite

APA:

Filippi, M., Badolato, A., Georgopoulou, A., Mock, D., Schreiner, J., Michelis, M.Y.,... Katzschmann, R.K. (2025). Bioprinting of piezoresistive organohydrogel networks for advanced real-time mechanosensing in engineered tissue models. Trends in Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.05.026

MLA:

Filippi, Miriam, et al. "Bioprinting of piezoresistive organohydrogel networks for advanced real-time mechanosensing in engineered tissue models." Trends in Biotechnology (2025).

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