3D Liver Tissue Model with Branched Vascular Networks by Multimaterial Bioprinting

Abstract

Complicated vessels pervade almost all body tissues and influence the pathophysiology of the human body significantly. However, current fabrication strategies have limited success at multiscale vascular biofabrication. This study reports a methodology to fabricate soft vascularized tissue at centimeter scale using multimaterial bioprinting by a customized multistage-temperature-control printer. The printed constructs can be perfused via the branched endothelialized vasculatures to support the well-formed 3D capillary networks, which ensure cellular activities with sufficient nutrient supply and then mimic a mature and functional liver tissue in terms of synthesis of liver-specific proteins. Moreover, an inner and external pressure-bearing layer is printed to support the direct surgical anastomosis of the carotid artery to the jugular vein. In summary, a versatile platform to recapitulate the vasculature network is presented, in which case sustaining the optimal cellularization in engineered tissues is achievable.

Keywords: 3D bioprinting; liver tissue; perfusion; transplantation; vascularization.