2009 October ; 30(30): 5910–5917. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.06.034. | Cyrille Norotte, Ph.D. 1, Francoise Marga, Ph.D. 1, Laura Niklason, Ph.D. 2, and Gabor Forgacs, Ph.D. 1,3,4
This study presents a scaffold-free approach to vascular tissue engineering using bioprinting technology. The method involves the rapid prototyping of multicellular spheroids or cylinders of various vascular cell types (smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts) into a biocompatible gel (agarose) using a bioprinter. The printed layers are then fused to form small-diameter vascular tubes (0.9 to 2.5 mm outer diameter) with controlled diameter, wall thickness, and branching patterns. The technique offers advantages over traditional scaffolds, such as higher cell density, better cell-cell interaction, and no interference with ECM assembly. The method is scalable and can produce complex, multi-layered vascular structures, including branched macrovascular networks. The study demonstrates the potential of this scaffold-free approach for engineering vascular grafts with mechanical strength comparable to native vessels, addressing the limitations of current scaffold-based techniques.This study presents a scaffold-free approach to vascular tissue engineering using bioprinting technology. The method involves the rapid prototyping of multicellular spheroids or cylinders of various vascular cell types (smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts) into a biocompatible gel (agarose) using a bioprinter. The printed layers are then fused to form small-diameter vascular tubes (0.9 to 2.5 mm outer diameter) with controlled diameter, wall thickness, and branching patterns. The technique offers advantages over traditional scaffolds, such as higher cell density, better cell-cell interaction, and no interference with ECM assembly. The method is scalable and can produce complex, multi-layered vascular structures, including branched macrovascular networks. The study demonstrates the potential of this scaffold-free approach for engineering vascular grafts with mechanical strength comparable to native vessels, addressing the limitations of current scaffold-based techniques.