Viability of Bioprinted Cellular Constructs Using a Three Dispenser Cartesian Printer

Summary

A Cartesian bioprinter was designed and fabricated to allow multi-material deposition in precise, reproducible geometries, while also allowing control of environmental factors. Utilizing the three-dimensional bioprinter, complex and viable constructs may be printed and easily reproduced.

Abstract

Tissue engineering has centralized its focus on the construction of replacements for non-functional or damaged tissue. The utilization of three-dimensional bioprinting in tissue engineering has generated new methods for the printing of cells and matrix to fabricate biomimetic tissue constructs. The solid freeform fabrication (SFF) method developed for three-dimensional bioprinting uses an additive manufacturing approach by depositing droplets of cells and hydrogels in a layer-by-layer fashion. Bioprinting fabrication is dependent on the specific placement of biological materials into three-dimensional architectures, and the printed constructs should closely mimic the complex organization of cells and extracellular matrices in native tissue. This paper highlights the use of the Palmetto Printer, a Cartesian bioprinter, as well as the process of producing spatially organized, viable constructs while simultaneously allowing control of environmental factors. This methodology utilizes computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing to produce these specific and complex geometries. Finally, this approach allows for the reproducible production of fabricated constructs optimized by controllable printing parameters.

Introduction

Tissue engineering uses the principles of biology and engineering in the development of functional substitutes to maintain, restore, or enhance native tissue and . The capability of generating three-dimensional biomimetic constructs on demand would facilitate scientific and technological advances in tissue engineering as well as in cell-based sensors, drug/toxicity screening, tissue or tumor models, and other . The three-dimensional organization of tissue-engineered constructs is a fundamental component of the fabrication method because it must closely mimic the highly organized interaction of cells and extracellular matrix in native tissue.

Protocol

1. Preparation of Gelatin Containing Substrate for Three-Dimensional Bioprinting of Alginate Hydrogels

1. Prepare the calcium/gelatin substrate following the calcium/gelatin substrate method described by Pataky et al¹¹ to avoid reduced viability associated with high content. The calcium/gelatin substrate method is listed below.
   1. Combine calcium chloride dehydrate (1.5 wt%), sodium chloride (0.9 wt%), and porcine gelatin (2 wt%) in distilled water and boil for 2 min to create a 100 mM gelatin solution.
2. Pour 5 ml of the gelatin/calcium solution into 100 mm standard petri dishes, swirl the solution around to....

Results

The results demonstrate the bioprinter is capable of depositing cell-laden hydrogels in specific three-dimensional locations accurately and consistently using computer-aided software. These softwares determine the placement of each droplet and control many of the parameters for dispensing (Figure 3,4). The repeatability of the bioprinter to appropriately deposit biomaterials is fundamental to its success in tissue engineering applications.

Cell viability, one of the requiremen.......

Discussion

The primary focus of tissue engineering is to bridge the gap between organ shortages and transplantation needs by developing biological substitutes capable of restoring, maintaining, or improving native tissue functio. This has led to the direct fabrication of scaffolds with a complex, anatomically correct external geometry, and precise control over the internal geometr. Three-dimensional bioprinting is a methodology used for generating three-dimensional constructs of various sizes and shapes from a digital model using a.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Positioning Robot (JR2000 XYZ)	Janome
Dispensers: SDAV Linear Drive SmartDispensers	Fishman Corporation
Optical Light Sensors:	Keyensce
Displacement Laser: OD Mini	SICK
Recirculating Water Bath: Polystat	Cole-Parmer	EW-12122-02
USB Cameras: Dino-Lite Premier 5MP	AnMo Electrionics/YSC Technologies	AD7013MT
Printer-Compatible Computer Design Software: JR-C Points	Janome		Comes with purchase of Janome Robot
Computer-Aided Design Drawing Software: Visual PathBuilder	RatioServ		Can be downloaded at: www.ratioserv.com/index.php/downloads
Printer 3 cc Syringes:	Fishman Corporation	122051
22 G Dispenser Tips	Fishman Corporation	Z520122
Calcium Chloride Dihydrate	Sigma-Aldrich	10035-04-8
Sodium Chloride	Sigma-Aldrich	7647-14-5
Porcine Gelatin	Sigma-Aldrich	9000-70-8
Titanium Dioxide	Sigma-Aldrich	13462-67-7
Protanal LF 20/40 Alginate (Sodium Alginate)	FMC BioPolymer	9005-38-3
Hydrochloric Acid	Sigma-Aldrich	7647-01-0
Ethylene Glycol	Mallinckrodt Baker, Inc	9300-01
Sodium Periodate	Sigma-Aldrich	7790-28-5
hADSC	Lonza	PT-5006	Store in vials in liquid nitrogen until use.
Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium	Gibco Life Technologies	11965-092	Warm in 37 °C water before use.
Trypsin/EDTA	Lonza	CC-5012	Warm in 37 °C water before use.
Calcein AM	Gibco Life Technologies	C3100MP	Store in the dark at -80 °C until use.
Live/Dead Mammalian Viability Assay Kit	Invitrogen Life Technologies	L-3224	Store in the dark at -80 °C until use.
MES Hydrate	Sigma-Aldrich	M2933
N-Hydroxysuccinimide	Sigma-Aldrich	130672
1-ethyl-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)	Sigma-Aldrich	E1769	10 G
Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline, +Calcium, +Magnesium	Life Technologies	14040133	Warm in 37 °C water before use.
Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline, -Calcium, -Magnesium	Life Technologies	14190144	Warm in 37 °C water before use.
RGD Peptides	International Peptides
Alexa Fluor 546 Phalloidin Stain	Invitrogen Life Technologies	A22283	Store at -20 °C until use
(4’, 6-Diamidino-2-Phenylindole, Dihydrochloride) (DAPI) Stain	Life Technologies	R37606	Store at -20 °C until use