Preparation of Corneal Tissue Matrix Bioink for 3D Bioprinting

Abstract

There are many protocols available to decellularize tissues for the preparation of bioink for 3D bioprinting purposes. Almost all the methods comprise multiple chemicals and enzymes in different combinations. Here we describe the usage of sodium chloride that enables the decellularization of corneal tissues from human and animal sources, which is a simple, rapid, and detergent-free method, unlike conventional decellularization protocols. The method described here is for cornea tissue decellularization and its digestion and bioink preparation for 3D bioprinting applications. We demonstrate the efficient decellularization of tissues by retaining the extracellular matrix.

Keywords: Bioink; Cornea; Decellularization; Extracellular matrix; Sodium chloride.