Quantitative characterization of 3D bioprinted structural elements under cell generated forces

Cameron D. Morley, S. Tori Ellison, Tapomoy Bhattacharjee, Christopher S. O’Bryan, Yifan Zhang, Kourtney F. Smith, Christopher P. Kabb, Mathew Sebastian, Ginger L. Moore, Kyle D. Schulze, Sean Niemi, W. Gregory Sawyer, David D. Tran, Duane A. Mitchell, Brent S. Sumerlin, Catherine T. Flores and Thomas E. Angelini ()
Additional contact information
Cameron D. Morley: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
S. Tori Ellison: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Tapomoy Bhattacharjee: Princeton University, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Christopher S. O’Bryan: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Yifan Zhang: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Kourtney F. Smith: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Christopher P. Kabb: University of Florida, George and Josephine Butler Polymer Research Laboratory, Center for Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry
Mathew Sebastian: University of Florida
Ginger L. Moore: University of Florida, Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery
Kyle D. Schulze: Auburn University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Sean Niemi: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
W. Gregory Sawyer: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
David D. Tran: University of Florida
Duane A. Mitchell: University of Florida, Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery
Brent S. Sumerlin: University of Florida, George and Josephine Butler Polymer Research Laboratory, Center for Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry
Catherine T. Flores: University of Florida, Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery
Thomas E. Angelini: University of Florida, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract With improving biofabrication technology, 3D bioprinted constructs increasingly resemble real tissues. However, the fundamental principles describing how cell-generated forces within these constructs drive deformations, mechanical instabilities, and structural failures have not been established, even for basic biofabricated building blocks. Here we investigate mechanical behaviours of 3D printed microbeams made from living cells and extracellular matrix, bioprinting these simple structural elements into a 3D culture medium made from packed microgels, creating a mechanically controlled environment that allows the beams to evolve under cell-generated forces. By varying the properties of the beams and the surrounding microgel medium, we explore the mechanical behaviours exhibited by these structures. We observe buckling, axial contraction, failure, and total static stability, and we develop mechanical models of cell-ECM microbeam mechanics. We envision these models and their generalizations to other fundamental 3D shapes to facilitate the predictable design of biofabricated structures using simple building blocks in the future.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10919-1

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