Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a novel technology utilizing biocompatible materials, cells, drugs, etc. as basic microcomponents to form 3D artificial structures and is believed as a promising method for regenerative medicine. Droplet-based bioprinting can precisely generate microspheres and manipulate them into organized structures with high fidelity. Biocompatible hydrogels are usually used as bioinks in 3D bioprinting, however, the viscosity of the bioink could be increased due to the additives such as cells, drugs, nutrient factors and other functional polymers in some particular applications, making it difficult to form monodispersed microspheres from high-viscosity bioink at the orifice of the nozzle. In this work, we reported a novel microfluidic-based printing nozzle to prepare monodispersed microspheres from high-viscosity bioink using the phase-inversion method. Different flowing conditions can be achieved by changing the flow rates of the fluids to form monodispersed solid and hollow microspheres using the same nozzle. The diameter of the microspheres can be tuned by changing the flow rate ratio and the size distribution of the microspheres is narrow. The prepared calcium alginate microspheres could also act as micro-carriers in drug delivery.
Highlights
Nowadays, millions of people are waiting for organ transplantation due to organ damage, but the number of organ donations is far from meeting the needs of patients, and organ shortage has become a serious crisis in the field of public health [1,2]
We report a droplet-based bioprinting method for making high-viscosity calcium alginate microspheres using phase-inversion technology in a microfluidic bioprinting nozzle
Different flowing conditions can be achieved by changing the flow rates, obtaining single and double emulsion droplets
Summary
Millions of people are waiting for organ transplantation due to organ damage, but the number of organ donations is far from meeting the needs of patients, and organ shortage has become a serious crisis in the field of public health [1,2]. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology involves the intersection of life sciences, computers, materials science and other disciplines It can precisely place different types of cells and materials in predetermined positions to print composite structures [5]. A small amount of heat is absorbed by the biomaterial film near the laser absorbing layer and a vapor bubble is formed. As a nozzle-free technology, laser-based bioprinting can effectively solve the problems in the conventional printing methods, such as the easy blocked pinhole or nozzle. It is a non-contact printing method, which can deposit different kinds of biomaterials on multiple target plates without backfilling and cleaning the target plates repeatedly. Laser-based bioprinting is limited because of the high cost and difficulties in constructing well-defined 3D architectures [15], and it cannot be used to print artificial tissue
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