TY - JOUR

T1 - Ink-structing the future of vascular tissue engineering

T2 - a review of the physiological bioink design

AU - Synofzik, Judith

AU - Heene, Sebastian

AU - Jonczyk, Rebecca

AU - Blume, Cornelia

N1 - We kindly thank the Institute of Microelectronic System, Leibniz University Hannover (Leader: Holger Blume and his group), for providing us to work with the RegenHu bioprinter and to establish divergent bioprinting approaches. This work was motivated by worthwhile discussion about limits and possibilities of bioprinting for vascular tissue-engineered constructs with peers, started in the Lower Saxony Center for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development.

PY - 2024/3

Y1 - 2024/3

N2 - Three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting have come into view for a plannable and standardizable generation of implantable tissue-engineered constructs that can substitute native tissues and organs. These tissue-engineered structures are intended to integrate with the patient’s body. Vascular tissue engineering (TE) is relevant in TE because it supports the sustained oxygenization and nutrition of all tissue-engineered constructs. Bioinks have a specific role, representing the necessary medium for printability and vascular cell growth. This review aims to understand the requirements for the design of vascular bioinks. First, an in-depth analysis of vascular cell interaction with their native environment must be gained. A physiological bioink suitable for a tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) must not only ensure good printability but also induce cells to behave like in a native vascular vessel, including self-regenerative and growth functions. This review describes the general structure of vascular walls with wall-specific cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) components and biomechanical properties and functions. Furthermore, the physiological role of vascular ECM components for their interaction with vascular cells and the mode of interaction is introduced. Diverse currently available or imaginable bioinks are described from physiological matrix proteins to nonphysiologically occurring but natural chemical compounds useful for vascular bioprinting. The physiological performance of these bioinks is evaluated with regard to biomechanical properties postprinting, with a view to current animal studies of 3D printed vascular structures. Finally, the main challenges for further bioink development, suitable bioink components to create a self-assembly bioink concept, and future bioprinting strategies are outlined. These concepts are discussed in terms of their suitability to be part of a TEVG with a high potential for later clinical use.

AB - Three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting have come into view for a plannable and standardizable generation of implantable tissue-engineered constructs that can substitute native tissues and organs. These tissue-engineered structures are intended to integrate with the patient’s body. Vascular tissue engineering (TE) is relevant in TE because it supports the sustained oxygenization and nutrition of all tissue-engineered constructs. Bioinks have a specific role, representing the necessary medium for printability and vascular cell growth. This review aims to understand the requirements for the design of vascular bioinks. First, an in-depth analysis of vascular cell interaction with their native environment must be gained. A physiological bioink suitable for a tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG) must not only ensure good printability but also induce cells to behave like in a native vascular vessel, including self-regenerative and growth functions. This review describes the general structure of vascular walls with wall-specific cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) components and biomechanical properties and functions. Furthermore, the physiological role of vascular ECM components for their interaction with vascular cells and the mode of interaction is introduced. Diverse currently available or imaginable bioinks are described from physiological matrix proteins to nonphysiologically occurring but natural chemical compounds useful for vascular bioprinting. The physiological performance of these bioinks is evaluated with regard to biomechanical properties postprinting, with a view to current animal studies of 3D printed vascular structures. Finally, the main challenges for further bioink development, suitable bioink components to create a self-assembly bioink concept, and future bioprinting strategies are outlined. These concepts are discussed in terms of their suitability to be part of a TEVG with a high potential for later clinical use.

KW - Bioink

KW - Cell–matrix interaction

KW - Extracellular matrix

KW - Microenvironment

KW - Printability

KW - Vascular cells

KW - Vascular wall histology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85186931326&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s42242-024-00270-w

DO - 10.1007/s42242-024-00270-w

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85186931326

VL - 7

SP - 181

EP - 205

JO - Bio-Design and Manufacturing

JF - Bio-Design and Manufacturing

SN - 2096-5524

ER -