Optimization of 3D-Printed Sacrificial Templates for Slow-gelling Hydrogel

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that combines manufacturing, biology, and material science to fabricate functional biomimetic tissues. By utilizing various methods such as 3D printing and bioprinting, specific structures can be designed and fabricated for cell culture and potential transplantation. However, issues such as overhang structures limited the potential of printing complex tissue scaffolds with conventional 3D printing techniques. In addition, bioprinting is facing the challenge of improving printability while avoiding shear stress on embedded cells. In this study, we optimized the design of layered sacrificial 3D-printed templates and filled the templates with slow-gelling hydrogel to fabricate hydrogel scaffolds with controllable internal channels for nutrition and waste transportation in cell culture. The results demonstrated that the hydrogel scaffolds had considerable fidelity that can be used in future cell culture applications.