Development of biodegradable methacrylated guar gum 3D bioprinting bioinks for stem cell delivery and cartilage tissue engineering

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has revolutionized tissue engineering by precisely fabricating customized scaffolds that recapitulate native tissue architectures. This study introduces a photo-crosslinkable methacrylated guar gum (GG-MA) hydrogel as a tunable monophasic bioink for cartilage tissue engineering. By adjusting methacrylation degrees, GG-MA hydrogels achieved tailored mechanical strength (Young's modulus: GG-MA2 = 0.184 MPa vs. GG-MA1 = 0.069 MPa), controlled degradation (61.41% vs. 90.71% mass loss over 60 days), and shear-thinning behavior suitable for extrusion bioprinting. Encapsulated with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), GG-MA2 scaffolds exhibited favorable biocompatibility, and promoted cell proliferation, cell migration, and chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs, evidenced by promoting the secretion of extracellular matrix and upregulating gene expression of Collagen Type II Alpha 1 Chain (COL2A1), Aggrecan (ACAN), and SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9). The novel 3D bioprinting GG-MA hydrogel scaffolds demonstrated significant potential as a versatile platform balancing biocompatibility, mechanical stability, and chondrogenic capacity for cartilage tissue engineering.