Issue 31, 2022

Improving printability of hydrogel-based bio-inks for thermal inkjet bioprinting applications via saponification and heat treatment processes

Abstract

Material jetting bioprinting is a highly promising three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technique that facilitates drop-on-demand (DOD) deposition of biomaterials and cells at pre-defined positions with high precision and resolution. A major challenge that hinders the prevalent use of the material jetting bioprinting technique is due to its limited range of printable hydrogel-based bio-inks. As a proof-of-concept, further modifications were made to gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), a gold-standard bio-ink, to improve its printability in a thermal inkjet bioprinter (HP Inc. D300e Digital Dispenser). A two-step modification process comprising saponification and heat treatment was performed; the GelMA bio-ink was first modified via a saponification process under highly alkali conditions to obtain saponified GelMA (SP-GelMA), followed by heat treatment via an autoclaving process to obtain heat-treated SP-GelMA (HSP-GelMA). The bio-ink modification process was optimized by evaluating the material properties of the GelMA bio-inks via rheological characterization, the bio-ink crosslinking test, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and the material swelling ratio after different numbers of heat treatment cycles (0, 1, 2 and 3 cycles). Lastly, size-exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS) was performed to determine the effect of heat treatment on the molecular weight of the bio-inks. In this work, the 4% H2SP-GelMA bio-inks (after 2 heat treatment cycles) demonstrated good printability and biocompatibility (in terms of cell viability and proliferation profile). Furthermore, thermal inkjet bioprinting of the modified hydrogel-based bio-ink (a two-step modification process comprising saponification and heat treatment) via direct/indirect cell patterning is a facile approach for potential fundamental cell–cell and cell–material interaction studies.

Graphical abstract: Improving printability of hydrogel-based bio-inks for thermal inkjet bioprinting applications via saponification and heat treatment processes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 3 2022
Accepted
14 7 2022
First published
15 7 2022

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2022,10, 5989-6000

Improving printability of hydrogel-based bio-inks for thermal inkjet bioprinting applications via saponification and heat treatment processes

R. Suntornnond, W. L. Ng, X. Huang, C. H. E. Yeow and W. Y. Yeong, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2022, 10, 5989 DOI: 10.1039/D2TB00442A

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