3D Printing Bioink Preparation and Application in Cartilage Tissue Reconstruction in Vitro

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology has great potential for application in the treatment of cartilage defects. However, the preparation of biocompatible and stable bioinks is still a major challenge. In this study, decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) of soft tissue was used as the basic material to prepare the bioink. Our results showed that this novel dECM-derived bioink had good printing performance and comprised a large number of fine nanofibers. Biological characterization revealed that the bioink was compatible with the growth of chondrocytes and that the nanofibrous structure greatly promoted cell proliferation. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed that the in vitro printed cartilage displayed the presence of characteristic cartilage lacunae. Thus, a new preparation method for dECM-derived bioink with potential application in generation of cartilage was developed in this study. © 2021, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.