Freeform Perfusable Microfluidics Embedded in Hydrogel Matrices

Materials (Basel). 2018 Dec 12;11(12):2529. doi: 10.3390/ma11122529.

Abstract

We report a modification of the freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH) 3D printing method for the fabrication of freeform perfusable microfluidics inside a hydrogel matrix. Xanthan gum is deposited into a CaCl₂ infused gelatine slurry to form filaments, which are consequently rinsed to produce hollow channels. This provides a simple method for rapid prototyping of microfluidic devices based on biopolymers and potentially a new approach to the construction of vascular grafts for tissue engineering.

Keywords: FRESH; bioprinting; freeform; gelatine; hydrogel; microfluidics; vascularization.