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Fabrication of biomimetic networks using viscous fingering in flexographic printing

Brumm, Pauline ; Fritschen, Anna ; Doß, Lara ; Dörsam, Edgar ; Blaeser, Andreas (2022)
Fabrication of biomimetic networks using viscous fingering in flexographic printing.
In: Biomedical Materials, 2022, 17 (4)
doi: 10.26083/tuprints-00021474
Artikel, Zweitveröffentlichung, Verlagsversion

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Kurzbeschreibung (Abstract)

Mammalian tissue comprises a plethora of hierarchically organized channel networks that serve as routes for the exchange of liquids, nutrients, bio-chemical cues or electrical signals, such as blood vessels, nerve fibers, or lymphatic conduits. Despite differences in function and size, the networks exhibit a similar, highly branched morphology with dendritic extensions. Mimicking such hierarchical networks represents a milestone in the biofabrication of tissues and organs. Work to date has focused primarily on the replication of the vasculature. Despite initial progress, reproducing such structures across scales and increasing biofabrication efficiency remain a challenge. In this work, we present a new biofabrication method that takes advantage of the viscous fingering phenomenon. Using flexographic printing, highly branched, inter-connective channel structures with stochastic, biomimetic distribution and dendritic extensions can be fabricated with unprecedented efficiency. Using gelatin (5%–35%) as resolvable sacrificial material, the feasability of the proposed method is demonstrated on the example of a vascular network. By selectively adjusting the printing velocity (0.2–1.5 m s⁻¹), the anilox roller dip volume (4.5–24 ml m⁻²) as well as the shear viscosity of the printing material used (10–900 mPas), the width of the structures produced (30–400 µm) as well as their distance (200–600 µm) can be specifically determined. In addition to the flexible morphology, the high scalability (2500–25 000 mm²) and speed (1.5 m s⁻¹) of the biofabrication process represents an important unique selling point. Printing parameters and hydrogel formulations are investigated and tuned towards a process window for controlled fabrication of channels that mimic the morphology of small blood vessels and capillaries. Subsequently, the resolvable structures were casted in a hydrogel matrix enabling bulk environments with integrated channels. The perfusability of the branched, inter-connective structures was successfully demonstrated. The fabricated networks hold great potential to enable nutrient supply in thick vascularized tissues or perfused organ-on-a-chip systems. In the future, the concept can be further optimized and expanded towards large-scale and cost-efficient biofabrication of vascular, lymphatic or neural networks for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Typ des Eintrags: Artikel
Erschienen: 2022
Autor(en): Brumm, Pauline ; Fritschen, Anna ; Doß, Lara ; Dörsam, Edgar ; Blaeser, Andreas
Art des Eintrags: Zweitveröffentlichung
Titel: Fabrication of biomimetic networks using viscous fingering in flexographic printing
Sprache: Englisch
Publikationsjahr: 2022
Ort: Darmstadt
Publikationsdatum der Erstveröffentlichung: 2022
Verlag: IOP Publishing
Titel der Zeitschrift, Zeitung oder Schriftenreihe: Biomedical Materials
Jahrgang/Volume einer Zeitschrift: 17
(Heft-)Nummer: 4
Kollation: 15 Seiten
DOI: 10.26083/tuprints-00021474
URL / URN: https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/21474
Zugehörige Links:
Herkunft: Zweitveröffentlichung DeepGreen
Kurzbeschreibung (Abstract):

Mammalian tissue comprises a plethora of hierarchically organized channel networks that serve as routes for the exchange of liquids, nutrients, bio-chemical cues or electrical signals, such as blood vessels, nerve fibers, or lymphatic conduits. Despite differences in function and size, the networks exhibit a similar, highly branched morphology with dendritic extensions. Mimicking such hierarchical networks represents a milestone in the biofabrication of tissues and organs. Work to date has focused primarily on the replication of the vasculature. Despite initial progress, reproducing such structures across scales and increasing biofabrication efficiency remain a challenge. In this work, we present a new biofabrication method that takes advantage of the viscous fingering phenomenon. Using flexographic printing, highly branched, inter-connective channel structures with stochastic, biomimetic distribution and dendritic extensions can be fabricated with unprecedented efficiency. Using gelatin (5%–35%) as resolvable sacrificial material, the feasability of the proposed method is demonstrated on the example of a vascular network. By selectively adjusting the printing velocity (0.2–1.5 m s⁻¹), the anilox roller dip volume (4.5–24 ml m⁻²) as well as the shear viscosity of the printing material used (10–900 mPas), the width of the structures produced (30–400 µm) as well as their distance (200–600 µm) can be specifically determined. In addition to the flexible morphology, the high scalability (2500–25 000 mm²) and speed (1.5 m s⁻¹) of the biofabrication process represents an important unique selling point. Printing parameters and hydrogel formulations are investigated and tuned towards a process window for controlled fabrication of channels that mimic the morphology of small blood vessels and capillaries. Subsequently, the resolvable structures were casted in a hydrogel matrix enabling bulk environments with integrated channels. The perfusability of the branched, inter-connective structures was successfully demonstrated. The fabricated networks hold great potential to enable nutrient supply in thick vascularized tissues or perfused organ-on-a-chip systems. In the future, the concept can be further optimized and expanded towards large-scale and cost-efficient biofabrication of vascular, lymphatic or neural networks for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Freie Schlagworte: viscous fingering, vascular networks, flexographic printing, hydrogel, tissue engineering, organs-on-a-chip
Status: Verlagsversion
URN: urn:nbn:de:tuda-tuprints-214745
Sachgruppe der Dewey Dezimalklassifikatin (DDC): 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 570 Biowissenschaften, Biologie
600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 620 Ingenieurwissenschaften und Maschinenbau
Fachbereich(e)/-gebiet(e): 16 Fachbereich Maschinenbau
16 Fachbereich Maschinenbau > Institut für Druckmaschinen und Druckverfahren (IDD)
16 Fachbereich Maschinenbau > Institut für Druckmaschinen und Druckverfahren (IDD) > Biomedizinische Drucktechnologie (BMT)
DFG-Sonderforschungsbereiche (inkl. Transregio)
DFG-Sonderforschungsbereiche (inkl. Transregio) > Sonderforschungsbereiche
DFG-Sonderforschungsbereiche (inkl. Transregio) > Sonderforschungsbereiche > SFB 1194: Wechselseitige Beeinflussung von Transport- und Benetzungsvorgängen
Interdisziplinäre Forschungsprojekte
Interdisziplinäre Forschungsprojekte > Centre for Synthetic Biology
Hinterlegungsdatum: 08 Jul 2022 11:08
Letzte Änderung: 11 Jul 2022 06:31
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