Complexation-induced resolution enhancement of 3D-printed hydrogel constructs

Jiaxing Gong, Carl C. L. Schuurmans, Anne Metje van Genderen, Xia Cao, Wanlu Li, Feng Cheng, Jacqueline Jialu He, Arturo López, Valentin Huerta, Jennifer Manríquez, Ruiquan Li, Hongbin Li, Clément Delavaux, Shikha Sebastian, Pamela E. Capendale, Huiming Wang, Jingwei Xie, Mengfei Yu, Rosalinde Masereeuw, Tina Vermonden () and Yu Shrike Zhang ()
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Jiaxing Gong: Harvard Medical School
Carl C. L. Schuurmans: Harvard Medical School
Anne Metje van Genderen: Harvard Medical School
Xia Cao: Harvard Medical School
Wanlu Li: Harvard Medical School
Feng Cheng: Harvard Medical School
Jacqueline Jialu He: Harvard Medical School
Arturo López: Harvard Medical School
Valentin Huerta: Harvard Medical School
Jennifer Manríquez: Harvard Medical School
Ruiquan Li: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Hongbin Li: Harvard Medical School
Clément Delavaux: Harvard Medical School
Shikha Sebastian: Harvard Medical School
Pamela E. Capendale: Harvard Medical School
Huiming Wang: Zhejiang University School of Medicine
Jingwei Xie: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Mengfei Yu: Zhejiang University School of Medicine
Rosalinde Masereeuw: Utrecht University
Tina Vermonden: Utrecht University
Yu Shrike Zhang: Harvard Medical School

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel printing enables production of volumetric architectures containing desired structures using programmed automation processes. Our study reports a unique method of resolution enhancement purely relying on post-printing treatment of hydrogel constructs. By immersing a 3D-printed patterned hydrogel consisting of a hydrophilic polyionic polymer network in a solution of polyions of the opposite net charge, shrinking can rapidly occur resulting in various degrees of reduced dimensions comparing to the original pattern. This phenomenon, caused by complex coacervation and water expulsion, enables us to reduce linear dimensions of printed constructs while maintaining cytocompatible conditions in a cell type-dependent manner. We anticipate our shrinking printing technology to find widespread applications in promoting the current 3D printing capacities for generating higher-resolution hydrogel-based structures without necessarily having to involve complex hardware upgrades or other printing parameter alterations.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14997-4

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