| dc.description.abstract | Bioprinting is an additive manufacturing process capable of fabricating bioprinted constructs containing cells via layer-by-layer deposition of bioink. Bioink contains the cells using during bioprinting, and may contain additional materials to promote cell adhesion, cell viability, structural integrity, and/or shape fidelity of bioprinted constructs. While bioprinting using mammalian cells has been extensively studied, less research has been conducted regarding bioprinting using photosynthetic cells, also known as green bioprinting. Potential benefits of green bioprinting include production and easy harvesting of metabolites for use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Constructs fabricated using green bioprinting have also been shown to remove metal from water, and green bioprinted constructs are capable of providing oxygen to mammalian cells in order to supplement tissue engineering research.
Despite potential benefits, more research is required to determine the optimal printing parameters for green bioprinting. In order to be functional, bioprinted constructs must have high cell viability post bioprinting. Research was conducted to test the effects of variable extrusion pressures and needle diameters on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii algae cell viability in green bioprinted constructs. It was determined that increasing extrusion pressure and decreasing needle diameter decreased the cell viability in green bioprinted constructs.
Additionally, in currently published literature, only two bioinks have been used for green bioprinting applications. These bioinks, alginate:methylcellulose and alginate:agarose:methylcellulose, promote high photosynthetic cell viability. However, the bioinks do not have sufficient physical properties to bioprint constructs with high shape fidelity. A new bioink, alginate:methylcellulose:GelMA, was synthesized to improve the shape fidelity of green bioprinted constructs while maintaining high cell viability. Constructs bioprinted with alginate:methylcellulose:GelMA bioink were tested for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii algae cell viability and shape fidelity of the bioprinted constructs. Rheological analysis was also performed of a sample of unprinted alginate:methylcellulose:GelMA bioink to determine if the viscosity of the bioink is suitable for use with bioprinting. It was determined that alginate:methylcellulose:GelMA bioink has suitable viscosity, and can be used to bioprint green constructs with high cell viability and shape fidelity. | |
