3D bioprinting: Personalized implants for cartilage therapy

An established method of treatment is the transplantation of the body's own cartilage cells, but this has limited application for larger defects. This is where the Fraunhofer IAP and BTU project comes in: With the help of 3D bio-printing, also known as bioprinting, personalized cartilage cell implants are to be produced. 

Bioprinting opens up new possibilities for regenerative medicine. In contrast to conventional additive manufacturing processes, in which materials are built up in layers, 3D bioprinting relies on biomaterials that can also contain living cells. The printing inks developed are based on polymers and contain the patient's cartilage cells, which are embedded in a hydrogel. "In the BioPol-3D project, we are developing inks for 3D bioprinting that already contain the patient's cartilage cells. The cells are embedded in a hydrogel. These bioinks can be cross-linked or stabilised during or after printing to create the desired shape and structure," explains Prof. Ruben R. Rosencrantz, Head of the 'Life Science and Bioprocesses' research department at the Fraunhofer IAP and Chair of 'Biofunctional Polymer Materials' at BTU. 

The researchers are using glycopolymers to recreate the natural environment of cartilage cells. These synthesized polymers have not yet been used as construction materials. The project is investigating how suitable glycopolymers are for 3D bioprinting and how their material and processing properties can be optimized.  

In order to develop suitable bioinks for 3D bioprinting, numerous factors must be taken into account: The sensitive cartilage cells must remain vital during the printing process, the materials must be biocompatible and biodegradable, and the resulting structures must have high stability and strength. The aim is to establish an advanced 3D cell culture for the treatment of cartilage damage and at the same time improve the production of the molded bodies through additive manufacturing. 

COMPAMED-tradefair.com; Source: Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP