Functional vasculature is crucial for the maintenance of living tissues via the transport of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolic waste products. As a result, insufficient vascularization in thick engineered tissues will lead to cell death and necrosis due to mass transport and diffusional constraints. To circumvent these limitations, we describe the development of a microscale continuous optical bioprinting (μCOB) platform for 3D printing complex vascularized tissues with superior resolution and speed. By using the μCOB system, endothelial cells and other supportive cells can be printed directly into hydrogels with precisely controlled distribution and subsequent formation of lumen-like structures in vitro.
Keywords: 3D bioprinting; Complex microarchitecture; Hydrogels; Tissue engineering; Vasculature.