3D-bioprinted vascular scaffold with tunable mechanical properties for simulating and promoting neo-vascularization

Xin Zhou; Qiang Gao; Dan Yu; Yichun Shao; Zhaohui Wang; Xiao Liu; Wenwu Wang; Likun Chang; Tianxiang Ma; Hsiaopei Mok; Jianzheng Cen; Jimei Chen; Mario El Tahchi; Jian Zhuang; Fangzhi Mou; Jin Zhang; Yixia Yin

Smart Materials in Medicine (Jan 2022)

3D-bioprinted vascular scaffold with tunable mechanical properties for simulating and promoting neo-vascularization

Xin Zhou,
Qiang Gao,
Dan Yu,
Yichun Shao,
Zhaohui Wang,
Xiao Liu,
Wenwu Wang,
Likun Chang,
Tianxiang Ma,
Hsiaopei Mok,
Jianzheng Cen,
Jimei Chen,
Mario El Tahchi,
Jian Zhuang,
Fangzhi Mou,
Jin Zhang,
Yixia Yin

Affiliations

Xin Zhou: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Qiang Gao: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, China
Dan Yu: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Yichun Shao: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Zhaohui Wang: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Xiao Liu: Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
Wenwu Wang: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Likun Chang: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Tianxiang Ma: Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
Hsiaopei Mok: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, China
Jianzheng Cen: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, China
Jimei Chen: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, China
Mario El Tahchi: LBMI, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences 2, Lebanese University, P.O. Box 90656, Jdeidet, Lebanon
Jian Zhuang: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510100, China
Fangzhi Mou: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
Jin Zhang: Qingyuan Innovation Laboratory, College of Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, 2 Xueyuan Road, Fuzhou, 350108, China
Yixia Yin: State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 3
pp. 199 – 208

Abstract

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Alternative artificial vessels with tissue-matching mechanical and biological performance have been continuously taking great attention in bioengineering. However, it is challenging to take into account both mechanical and biological properties in formulating a hydrogel material. In the current study, a composite hydrogel ink based on geltain-methacryloyl (GelMA) and sodium alginate (SA) was prepared by a two-step polymerization process, and its fast shaping was realized by stabilizing the alginate fraction in calcium ion bath as well as the photo-crosslinking of GelMA. Mechanical properties of the transparent 3D printing GelMA/Gelatin/SA blood vessels were determined by testing their stretching and resilience performance. Based on Von Mise stress simulation using Ansys, strain of the artificial blood vessels reached 147% and the elastic Young’s modulus reached approximately 224 kPa in the optimal hydrogel formulation, matching well with capability of enduring certain blood pressure encountered in real tissue. A selective and uniform permeability of hydrogel tubes was presented by using small molecules and human red blood cells, meanwhile excellent hemolysis, cell viability, and proliferation ability were also verified. Based on the results of in vitro assessment and the in vivo transplantation in SD rats, our proposed GelMA/Gelatin/SA vessels, with tissue-matching mechanical properties and their ideal biodegradation behavior, promoted neo-vascularization capacity and showed promising potential in producing an artificial blood vessel.

Published in Smart Materials in Medicine

ISSN: 2590-1834 (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Technology
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/smart-materials-in-medicine/

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