High-resolution lightweight and multifunctional 3D printed scaffolds for cell studies

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is gaining popularity for its limitless possibilities in fields requiring 3D structure fabrication, including tissue engineering. While established methods like Multi-Photon Polymerization and Selective Laser Melting offer high-resolution structures, they exhibit common drawbacks such as high cost, large equipment size and long fabrication times. On the other hand, 3D printers that utilize UV Polymerization are becoming more affordable, allowing for printing 3D scaffolds that could be used as transplantable grafts for tissue regeneration and other biomedical applications. In this study, we used a Light-Emitting-Diode-based 3D printer with a pixel size of 35 μm alongside two commercially available resins to fabricate a variety of high-resolution, large scaffold geometries. Resin and scaffold suitability was examined using 4 common cell lines and various techniques such as MTT cell viability assays, confocal microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The results highlight the possibility to successfully use widely-available, low-cost 3D printers for high-resolution scaffold fabrication while maintaining cell culture compatibility for biomedical applications.

Keywords

• Additive manufacturing
• 3D printing
• Tissue engineering
• High-resolution scaffolds
• Upscaling