Abstract

3D Bioprinting and Perfusion of Vascularized Tissues

David Kolesky, Research Scientist, Harvard University and The Wyss Institute for Bioloigcally Inspired Engineering

Engineered thick living tissue constructs could enable new in vitro applications in 3D cell studies, drug screening, disease modeling, and, ultimately, therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine. We will highlight our recent efforts on concurrent patterning of cells and vasculature, along with new strategies to achieve active perfusion, long-term stability of thick living tissues (> 1cm thick), all of which are essential for creating a physiologically and therapeutically relevant tissue manufacturing method.  As a demonstration of complex architecture and function at a physiologically relevant size scales, we directly differentiate patterned hBM-MSCs towards the osteogenic lineage via the in situ delivery of various factors through a pervasive vascular network, illustrating control over the long-term growth and development of our printed tissue. With control over multicellular architecture, the chemo-mechanical microenvironment, and the ability to support thick, developing tissue for long time points, this method could serve as a platform for studying emergent biological functions in complex engineered micro-environments, and, may ultimately, find applications in vivo.