Universal orthogonal network bioinks for three-dimensional bioprinting

Abstract

A method of bioprinting a bioink printed structure and a bioprinted composition resulting from this method is provided. Biological cells are mixed with biomaterial inks. These biomaterial inks have a biopolymer backbone with grafted thereto a first bio-orthogonal chemical group. The mixed biological cells and biomaterial inks are extruded into a support bath. The next step is diffusing crosslinking molecules which have a second (complementary to the first) bio-orthogonal chemical group, in the support bath, whereby the diffusing crosslinking molecules react via bioorthogonal click-chemistry between the first and second bio-orthogonal chemical groups resulting in covalently crosslinking the biomaterial ink into a printed structure. Embodiments of this invention can be directed towards personalized medicine and printed tissue engineering constructs, as well as drug discovery by printing complex tissue mimics or printing model vasculature for studying cardiovascular disease.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.