The team of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has developed a new 3D bioprinting material, a dual-network hydrogel, which greatly improves the toughness, elasticity, rigidity and stretchability of the material. On the 19th, the hospital introduced that this material is expected to be applied to the regeneration of complex elastic tissues such as ear, nose and tracheal cartilage.
In recent years, 3D bioprinting technology has emerged, which can be used to promote the regeneration of human tissues and reconstruct living structures. Natural hydrogel has gradually become a 3D bioprinting material due to its good biocompatibility and printability. However, this material is mostly brittle and has a weak load-bearing capacity, so it is difficult to play a role in the regeneration of complex elastic tissues such as ear, nose, and tracheal cartilage.
Now, a team composed of Professor Jiang Haiyue, researcher Liu Xia, physicians Wang Di and Zeng Jinshi from the Plastic Surgery Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has provided a new idea of using a mixture of pure natural polymer methacryloyl gelatin, o-nitrobenzyl grafted hyaluronic acid and elastin extracted from the porcine aorta to form a double network hydrogel. The test results show that the toughness of this gel is significantly higher than that of natural hydrogels, with excellent elasticity, stretchability and printability, which can withstand about 80% compression deformation without breaking, can still return to the original structure after bearing about 170% strain deformation, and can quickly return to the original shape after 100 repeated mechanical loading.
Complex elastic tissues printed with it retain their integrity and shape over time. According to the team, the gel exhibits excellent mechanical properties and has the potential to print complex structures such as ear, nose and tracheal cartilage and promote elastic tissue regeneration, and is expected to be widely used. Recently, the research results were published in the international English-language academic journal "Aggregates".
Of course, there are certain limitations to dual-network hydrogels. For example, although the toughness and elasticity are enhanced, the stiffness is still insufficient, and the printed biological structure cannot withstand the expected tension. The team is using this as a breakthrough to further study and improve the formula.
* Beijing **Client|Reporter Wang Yaoqi Chai Rong.
Edited by Wang Haiping.
Process Editor: Weili Liu.