Coaxial printing of double-layered and free-standing blood vessel analogues without ultraviolet illumination for high-volume vascularised tissue

Biofabrication. 2020 Sep 24;12(4):045033. doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/abafc6.

Abstract

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) were coaxially and continuously extruded without ultraviolet illumination using a microfluidic-based nozzle. Type I collagen (3 mg ml-1) containing HUVECs and a crosslinking reagent (100 mM CaCl2) were supplied as the core material. A mixture of 3 mg ml-1 of type I collagen (25%) and 1.8% weight volume-1 of sodium alginate (75%) was provided as the shell layer material surrounding the core material. The HUVECs were well proliferated at the core and reshaped into a monolayer formation along the axial direction of the scaffold. The HASMCs showed more than 90% cell viability in the shell layer. Fluorescent beads were passed through the inside channel of the scaffold with the HUVEC core and HASMC shell using an in-house connector. This double-layered scaffold showed higher angiogenesis in growth factor-free medium than the scaffold with only a HUVEC core. The HASMCs in the shell layer affected angiogenesis, extracellular matrix secretion, and outer diameter. The proposed technique could be applied to three-dimensional bioprinting for the production of high-volume vascularised tissue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bioprinting*
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Lighting*
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Tissue Scaffolds*