[Zurück]

P. Gruber, M. Markovic, K. Hölzl, M. Tromayer, S. Van Vlierberghe, P. Dubruel, R. Liska, J. Stampfl, A. Ovsianikov:
"Laser photofabrication of 3D cell-containing hydrogel constructs";
Poster: 2014 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society-Asia Pacific Meeting (TERMIS-AP 2014), Daegu, S. Korea; 24.09.2014 - 27.09.2014; in: "2", (2014).

Two-photon polymerization (2PP) is a 3D printing approach based on femtosecond-laser-induced
polymerization. This technology allows one to produce complex CAD structures with remarkably high
spatial resolution. Furthermore, in contrast to other additive manufacturing technologies, 2PP produces
3D structures within the volume of the sample, without the necessity to deposit the material layer-bylayer.
In the recent years 2PP attracted much attention as a tool for the fabrication of tissue engineering
scaffolds. Incorporating living cells in the fabrication process is advantageous with regard to initial cell
density and their distribution within the construct. Cells and tissues are transparent in the near-IR
wavelength range commonly used for 2PP, besides the employed laser radiation parameters are known to
be harmless to cells. In order to incorporate living cells during 2PP, suitable materials supporting the
viability of cells throughout the fabrication process have to be developed. In this contribution our first
results on 2PP fabrication of cell-containing hydrogel constructs are presented. Gelatin-based material
formulations with up to 80% cell culture medium and cell densities of around 107/ml have been structured
successfully. The proliferation of the cells trapped within the 2PP-produced hydrogel constructs was
followed up for three consequent weeks. The presented results indicate the general practicability of 2PP
for processing of cell-containing materials. By using a starting material containing living cells, the 2PP is
entering the realm of a true biofabrication technique. 3D printing of cell-containing hydrogel structures
opens exciting perspectives for the precise engineering of cell culture matrices, tissue engineering, and
cellular microarray fabrication.