Formulation and Characterization of Alginate Dialdehyde, Gelatin, and Platelet-Rich Plasma-Based Bioink for Bioprinting Applications

• Main Authors: Lakshmi T. Somasekharan, Naresh Kasoju, Riya Raju, Anugya Bhatt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
• Series: Bioengineering
• Subjects: biofabrication; bioink; hydrogels; growth factor cocktail; bioactive scaold; printability
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/7/3/108

Layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process has evolved into three-dimensional (3D)<br />“bio-printing” as a means of constructing cell-laden functional tissue equivalents. The process<br />typically involves the mixing of cells of interest with an appropriate hydrogel, termed as “bioink”,<br />followed by printing and tissue maturation. An ideal bioink should have adequate mechanical,<br />rheological, and biological features of the target tissues. However, native extracellular matrix (ECM)<br />is made of an intricate milieu of soluble and non-soluble extracellular factors, and mimicking such<br />a composition is challenging. To this end, here we report the formulation of a multi-component<br />bioink composed of gelatin and alginate -based scaolding material, as well as a platelet-rich plasma<br />(PRP) suspension, which mimics the insoluble and soluble factors of native ECM respectively. Briefly,<br />sodium alginate was subjected to controlled oxidation to yield alginate dialdehyde (ADA), and was<br />mixed with gelatin and PRP in various volume ratios in the presence of borax. The formulation<br />was systematically characterized for its gelation time, swelling, and water uptake, as well as its<br />morphological, chemical, and rheological properties; furthermore, blood- and cytocompatibility were<br />assessed as per ISO 10993 (International Organization for Standardization). Printability, shape fidelity,<br />and cell-laden printing was evaluated using the RegenHU 3D Discovery bioprinter. The results<br />indicated the successful development of ADA–gelatin–PRP based bioink for 3D bioprinting and<br />biofabrication applications.