Abstract

Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D Printing of Biological Tissues Using PEGDMA-based Bioinks

Shu-Yung Nina Chang, Research Fellow, Singapore University of Technology and Design

We studied the suitability of poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA)-based bioinks for applications in digital light processing (DLP) three-dimensional (3D) printing. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based polymers, such as high molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), have been widely used in 3D printing to create 3D cell-laden structures [1-3]. Without chemical modification, however, PEGDA does not promote cell viability and proliferation [4]. Alternatively, PEGDMA has been reported to support low levels of cell attachment without modification [5], but its application in 3D bioprinting has not been fully explored. To bridge this gap, we investigated the suitability of PEGDMA as a component of a bioink used in photopolymerization. The biocompatibility of PEGDMA was confirmed by showing its non-cytotoxic character to support cell growth. PEGDMA was readily polymerized with gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) in DLP printing, and the composite bioink demonstrated the printability of 3D cell-laden constructs with embedded perfusable channels. DLP printing of PEGDMA-based bioink allowed fabrication of branched perfusable microchannels in large cell-laden constructs for in vitro tissue modelling. These demonstrated the capability of PEGDMA-based bioink in the fabrication of 3D biological models. PEGDMA-based bioinks will potentially enable DLP bioprinting of complex 3D biological constructs applicable for therapeutic screening, disease modelling and regenerative medicines.