Researchers of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore use ultraviolet assisted extrusion-based (UAE) Bioprinting to develop soft tissue constructs.

One of the significant challenges in the bioprinting of soft tissue is the fabrication of complex tissue constructs with the desired structural integrity and mechanical property. For these reasons, many researchers use reinforcement materials such as polycaprolactone polymer (PCL) with imperfect mechanical compliance and long degradation periods.

Researchers of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore now present an alternative bioprinting strategy that combines the rapid extrusion-based bioprinting technique with an in-built ultraviolet (UV) curing system. They used a photo-curable GelMA-based hydrogel to build soft yet stable cell-laden constructs. The GelMA is supplemented with a viscosity enhancer to improve the bio-ink printability, shape fidelity and biocompatibility. They fabricated small research units with a high aspect ratio of ≥ 5 and demonstrated the ability to perform multi-material printing of tissue constructs with high aspect ratio along with both the longitudinal and transverse directions for potential applications in tissue engineering of soft tissues. They also studied the effects of the UV source on printing resolution and cell viability and published their findings in PloS under the title “Layer-by-layer ultraviolet assisted extrusion-based (UAE) bioprinting of hydrogel constructs with high aspect ratio for soft tissue engineering applications.”

Source: Zhuang, P., Ng, W. L., An, J., Chua, C. K., & Tan, L. P. (2019). Layer-by-layer ultraviolet assisted extrusion-based (UAE) bioprinting of hydrogel constructs with high aspect ratio for soft tissue engineering applications. PloS one, 14(6), e0216776.