Optimal Bioprinting Parameters and Experimental Investigation of Acellular Dermal Matrix Scaffold

Abstract

Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) as a biomaterial is currently believed to be promising tissue repair improvement. With the development of tissue engineering, ADM is increasingly used as biological scaffolds. We explored the feasibility and performance of ADM biological scaffolds that fabricated by 3D printing. This paper presented our study on the printability of 3D printed ADM scaffolds, with a focus on identifying the influence of printing parameters/conditions on printability. To characterize the printability, we examined the fiber morphology, pore size, strand diameter, and mechanical property of the printed scaffolds. Our results revealed that the printability could be affected by a number of factors and among them, the most considerable one was related to the nozzle diameter and the composition of ADM. We then evaluated the biocompatibility in terms of cytotoxicity, cell proliferation and vivisection. In vitro evaluation of the ADM scaffolds was carried out and the experimental results indicated that cells were viable and proliferative during the period of study. In vivo results also indicated that the defect area was well repaired without any noticeable infection, hematoma and other conditions. In conclusion, ADM could be reconstructed with 3D printing technology and ADM biological scaffold has potential applications for tissue engineering.