Ultrasonic mixing chamber as an effective tool for the biofabrication of fully graded scaffolds for interface tissue engineering. Issue 10 (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chiesa, Irene; Fortunato, Gabriele Maria; Lapomarda, Anna; Di Pietro, Licia; Biagini, Francesco; De Acutis, Aurora; Bernazzani, Luca; Tinè, Maria Rosaria; De Maria, Carmelo; Vozzi, Giovanni
• Other Names: Conti Michele guest-editor.; Marconi Stefania guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: International journal of artificial organs. Volume 42:Issue 10(2019)
• Page Start: 586
• Page End: 594
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: Interface-tissue engineering -- multi-extruder bioprinter -- biofabrication -- ultrasonic probe -- graded scaffold; Artificial organs -- Periodicals; 617.956
• DOI: 10.1177/0391398819852960
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0391-3988

Abstract

One of the main challenges of the interface-tissue engineering is the regeneration of diseased or damaged interfacial native tissues that are heterogeneous both in composition and in structure. In order to achieve this objective, innovative fabrication techniques have to be investigated. This work describes the design, fabrication, and validation of a novel mixing system to be integrated into a double-extruder bioprinter, based on an ultrasonic probe included into a mixing chamber. To validate the quality and the influence of mixing time, different nanohydroxyapatite–gelatin samples were printed. Mechanical characterization, micro-computed tomography, and thermogravimetric analysis were carried out. Samples obtained from three-dimensional bioprinting using the mixing chamber were compared to samples obtained by deposition of the same final solution obtained by manually operated ultrasound probe, showing no statistical differences. Results obtained from samples characterization allow to consider the proposed mixing system as a promising tool for the fabrication of graduated structures which are increasingly being used in interface-tissue engineering.