Research on the fabrication of a bio-ink based on gelatin for applications in tissue engineering

Abstract

Three–dimensional (3D) bioprinting has become an effective tool in tissue engineering to fabricate functional tissues for applications in regenerative medicine and drug testing. One of the prominent applications of 3D bioprinting technology is the fabrication of cellular scaffolds, which function as structural guides for cell proliferation and the regeneration of new tissues. This technique offers significant advantages, including reduced fabrication time and enhanced control over design parameters. In 3D bioprinting, the properties of the bioink play a critical role in determining the characteristics of the final construct. This paper presents a gelatin combined with hydrocolloid compounds to formulate a bioink that improves mechanical and biological properties to enhance printability. The optimal concentration of the gelatin and hydrocolloid composite was determined through in vitro printability and cytotoxicity observations. The obtained results showed that the bioink exhibited a suitable viscosity for extrusion-based 3D printing and could form monolayer and multilayer scaffold models. The bioink had maximum water swelling at 2 hours, and the printed structures could maintain their shape for up to 7 days. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity evaluations confirmed that the bioink was non-toxic to cells in the direct and indirect contact tests. The results showed that the gelatin-hydrocolloid composite would be a bioink for the following research in 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering applications.