spatially defined endothelial cords, which significantly improved the
speed and extent of vascularizing the engineered tissue after
implantation compared to randomly seeded endothelial cells
[4]. However, such molding techniques are limited to fabricating
tissues with simple designs and new physical molds are needed if the
design is to be altered or adjusted, which can be costly and timeconsuming. 3D bioprinting has emerged as a promising solution
for building complex tissue constructs with excellent flexibility and
versatility. In particular, nozzle-based bioprinters have been successfully adopted to print vascularized 3D tissues indirectly with
sacrificial inks [3, 12–14] or directly with endothelial cells
[15, 16]. Nozzle-based bioprinters deposit the bioink line by line
in a serial manner that can be relatively slow for large-scale tissues.
Furthermore, the interfaces between the lines can compromise the
mechanical integrity of the printed tissues. In light of these
technological challenges, optical projection printing has arisen as
the next-generation microfabrication technique with superior
speed, resolution, and flexibility to fabricate complex tissue
constructs.
Here, we present a rapid optical projection printing platform—
microscale continuous optical bioprinting (μCOB)—for creating
complex vascularized tissues directly with endothelial cells and
other supportive cells in vitro [17]. These vascularized tissues
were printed with unprecedented speed and resolution, featuring
complex microarchitectures and precisely controlled cell distribution. We demonstrated that the printed vascularized constructs
exhibited endothelial networks with lumen-like structures after
1-week culture in vitro.
2 Materials
2.1 General
Equipment
1. Heated magnetic stirrer.
2. Freeze dryer.
3. Laboratory fume hood.
4. Class 2 biosafety cabinet.
5. Water bath (37
C).
6. À80
C freezer
2.2 Glycidyl
MethacrylateHyaluronic Acid (GMHA) Synthesis
1. Hyaluronic acid (MW 200 kDa).
2. Acetone.
3. Deionized (DI) water.
4. Triethylamine (TEA).
5. Glycidyl methacrylate (GM).
6. Dialysis tubing (MWCO 3.5 kDa).
164
Wei Zhu et al.
speed and extent of vascularizing the engineered tissue after
implantation compared to randomly seeded endothelial cells
[4]. However, such molding techniques are limited to fabricating
tissues with simple designs and new physical molds are needed if the
design is to be altered or adjusted, which can be costly and timeconsuming. 3D bioprinting has emerged as a promising solution
for building complex tissue constructs with excellent flexibility and
versatility. In particular, nozzle-based bioprinters have been successfully adopted to print vascularized 3D tissues indirectly with
sacrificial inks [3, 12–14] or directly with endothelial cells
[15, 16]. Nozzle-based bioprinters deposit the bioink line by line
in a serial manner that can be relatively slow for large-scale tissues.
Furthermore, the interfaces between the lines can compromise the
mechanical integrity of the printed tissues. In light of these
technological challenges, optical projection printing has arisen as
the next-generation microfabrication technique with superior
speed, resolution, and flexibility to fabricate complex tissue
constructs.
Here, we present a rapid optical projection printing platform—
microscale continuous optical bioprinting (μCOB)—for creating
complex vascularized tissues directly with endothelial cells and
other supportive cells in vitro [17]. These vascularized tissues
were printed with unprecedented speed and resolution, featuring
complex microarchitectures and precisely controlled cell distribution. We demonstrated that the printed vascularized constructs
exhibited endothelial networks with lumen-like structures after
1-week culture in vitro.
2 Materials
2.1 General
Equipment
1. Heated magnetic stirrer.
2. Freeze dryer.
3. Laboratory fume hood.
4. Class 2 biosafety cabinet.
5. Water bath (37
C).
6. À80
C freezer
2.2 Glycidyl
MethacrylateHyaluronic Acid (GMHA) Synthesis
1. Hyaluronic acid (MW 200 kDa).
2. Acetone.
3. Deionized (DI) water.
4. Triethylamine (TEA).
5. Glycidyl methacrylate (GM).
6. Dialysis tubing (MWCO 3.5 kDa).
164
Wei Zhu et al.