Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 102512 |
| Journal | Materials Today Bio |
| Volume | 35 |
| Early online date | 5 Nov 2025 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2025 |
Abstract
Bioprinting of soft tissues is an emerging technology with significant potential in regenerative medicine. It requires bioinks that mimic biochemical and physical properties of natural tissues and enable precise positioning of multiple cell types to allow their physiological interplay. Here, we describe the development of a bioink for bone marrow as an example of soft tissue. Bone marrow is the site of blood regeneration, driven by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and relying on the orchestrated interplay of hematopoietic and stromal cells in a soft microenvironment. The bioink is based on hyaluronic acid (HA), dual-functionalized in a one-pot synthesis with alkyl side chains enhancing physical crosslinking via hydrophobic interactions and methacrylamide groups allowing covalent photo-crosslinking. Polymers are synthesized with HA of differing molecular weights, alkyl side chain lengths and modification degrees. Their gelling behavior, shear-thinning and self-healing properties deem them suitable for extrusion-based bioprinting. The ink allows two bioprinting approaches: cell encapsulation pre-printing and cell injection post-printing, both yielding excellent cell viability. The latter approach allows precise placement of hematopoietic and stromal cells in a single construct. In summary, we present a bioink enabling bioprinting of modified HA without further additives, bioprinting of encapsulated cells and injection of cells into pre-printed structures. The material is based on a polymer naturally present in bone marrow, resembles the mechanical properties of bone marrow and is suitable for bioprinting of hematopoietic and stromal cells. Thus, this bioink is a promising platform for bioprinting biomimetic bone marrow or other soft tissue constructs for future fundamental and applied research.
Keywords
- Bioink, Bone marrow, Extrusion-based bioprinting, Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), Hyaluronic acid, Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering(all)
- Bioengineering
- Materials Science(all)
- Biomaterials
- Engineering(all)
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Cell Biology
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In: Materials Today Bio, Vol. 35, 102512, 12.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Additive-Free Hyaluronic Acid-Based Bioink for 3D Bioprinting of Bone Marrow Microenvironments
AU - Naolou, Toufik
AU - Schadzek, Nadine
AU - Nolte, Jonas
AU - Spindler, Susanna
AU - Lötz, Franziska
AU - Fraedrich, Lena
AU - Dräger, Gerald
AU - Jüngst, Tomasz
AU - Groll, Jürgen
AU - Lee-Thedieck, Cornelia
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - Bioprinting of soft tissues is an emerging technology with significant potential in regenerative medicine. It requires bioinks that mimic biochemical and physical properties of natural tissues and enable precise positioning of multiple cell types to allow their physiological interplay. Here, we describe the development of a bioink for bone marrow as an example of soft tissue. Bone marrow is the site of blood regeneration, driven by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and relying on the orchestrated interplay of hematopoietic and stromal cells in a soft microenvironment. The bioink is based on hyaluronic acid (HA), dual-functionalized in a one-pot synthesis with alkyl side chains enhancing physical crosslinking via hydrophobic interactions and methacrylamide groups allowing covalent photo-crosslinking. Polymers are synthesized with HA of differing molecular weights, alkyl side chain lengths and modification degrees. Their gelling behavior, shear-thinning and self-healing properties deem them suitable for extrusion-based bioprinting. The ink allows two bioprinting approaches: cell encapsulation pre-printing and cell injection post-printing, both yielding excellent cell viability. The latter approach allows precise placement of hematopoietic and stromal cells in a single construct. In summary, we present a bioink enabling bioprinting of modified HA without further additives, bioprinting of encapsulated cells and injection of cells into pre-printed structures. The material is based on a polymer naturally present in bone marrow, resembles the mechanical properties of bone marrow and is suitable for bioprinting of hematopoietic and stromal cells. Thus, this bioink is a promising platform for bioprinting biomimetic bone marrow or other soft tissue constructs for future fundamental and applied research.
AB - Bioprinting of soft tissues is an emerging technology with significant potential in regenerative medicine. It requires bioinks that mimic biochemical and physical properties of natural tissues and enable precise positioning of multiple cell types to allow their physiological interplay. Here, we describe the development of a bioink for bone marrow as an example of soft tissue. Bone marrow is the site of blood regeneration, driven by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and relying on the orchestrated interplay of hematopoietic and stromal cells in a soft microenvironment. The bioink is based on hyaluronic acid (HA), dual-functionalized in a one-pot synthesis with alkyl side chains enhancing physical crosslinking via hydrophobic interactions and methacrylamide groups allowing covalent photo-crosslinking. Polymers are synthesized with HA of differing molecular weights, alkyl side chain lengths and modification degrees. Their gelling behavior, shear-thinning and self-healing properties deem them suitable for extrusion-based bioprinting. The ink allows two bioprinting approaches: cell encapsulation pre-printing and cell injection post-printing, both yielding excellent cell viability. The latter approach allows precise placement of hematopoietic and stromal cells in a single construct. In summary, we present a bioink enabling bioprinting of modified HA without further additives, bioprinting of encapsulated cells and injection of cells into pre-printed structures. The material is based on a polymer naturally present in bone marrow, resembles the mechanical properties of bone marrow and is suitable for bioprinting of hematopoietic and stromal cells. Thus, this bioink is a promising platform for bioprinting biomimetic bone marrow or other soft tissue constructs for future fundamental and applied research.
KW - Bioink
KW - Bone marrow
KW - Extrusion-based bioprinting
KW - Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)
KW - Hyaluronic acid
KW - Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105021236514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102512
DO - 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102512
M3 - Article
VL - 35
JO - Materials Today Bio
JF - Materials Today Bio
SN - 2590-0064
M1 - 102512
ER -