Microfluidic Bioprinting of Heterogeneous 3D Tissue Constructs Using Low-Viscosity Bioink

Abstract

A novel bioink and a dispensing technique for 3D tissue-engineering applications are presented. The technique incorporates a coaxial extrusion needle using a low-viscosity cell-laden bioink to produce highly defined 3D biostructures. The extrusion system is then coupled to a microfluidic device to control the bioink arrangement deposition, demonstrating the versatility of the bioprinting technique. This low-viscosity cell-responsive bioink promotes cell migration and alignment within each fiber organizing the encapsulated cells.

Keywords: 3D tissue engineering; bioinks; bioprinting; microfluidics; vascular tissue engineering.