Development, characterization and in vitro evaluation of TEMPO-oxidized microcellulose-based biomaterial inks for 3D bioprinting applications

3D-bioprinting is widely used in tissue engineering due to its customizability, avoidance of allogeneic rejection, and no risk of disease transmission. Cellulose is a renewable natural polymer, prized as an excellent bioink due to its non-toxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and cost-effectiveness.  2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO) oxidized microcellulose, that was subjected to homogenization. The biomaterial ink was further characterized using FTIR, conductivity studies, and rheometric analyses. Subsequently, scaffolds were fabricated using 3D bioprinting, and cell viability was evaluated through cell culture on the scaffold. The optimization of the oxidation process revealed that a 6-hour oxidation achieved the highest degree of oxidation, exhibiting superior viscosity and printing characteristics compared to other oxidation times. Following a straightforward 6-hour scale-up, successful fabrication of a 3D bio-printed scaffold. Cell experiments demonstrated excellent cell adhesion and viability on the scaffold. Our findings demonstrate that oxidized microcellulose serves as a new bio-based, non-toxic, structurally stable, and cell-compatible ink for 3D-bioprinting in tissue engineering applications.