3D Printing of Amino Resin-based Photosensitive Materials on Multi-parameter Optimization Design for Vascular Engineering Applications

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are currently the most common cause of death globally and of which, the golden treatment method for severe cardiovascular diseases or coronary artery diseases are implantations of synthetic vascular grafts. However, such grafts often come with rejections and hypersensitivity reactions. With the emergence of regenerative medicine, researchers are now trying to explore alternative ways to produce grafts that are less likely to induce immunological reactions in patients. The main goal of such studies is to produce biocompatible artificial vascular grafts with the capability of allowing cellular adhesion and cellular proliferation for tissues regeneration. The Design of Experimental concepts is employed into the manufacturing process of digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology to explore near-optimal processing parameters to produce artificial vascular grafts with vascular characteristics that are close to native vessels by assessing for the cause and effect relationships between different ratios of amino resin (AR), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), dopamine, and curing durations. We found that with proper optimization of fabrication procedures and ratios of materials, we are able to successfully fabricate vascular grafts with good printing resolutions. These had similar physical properties to native vessels and were able to support cellular adhesion and proliferation. This study could support future studies in exploring near-optimal processes for fabrication of artificial vascular grafts that could be adapted into clinical applications.

The Calcium Channel Affect Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Strontium-Substituted Calcium Silicate/Poly-ε-Caprolactone Scaffold

“…Current studies state that pores with a size of up to 500-750 µm were critical for bone tissue regeneration and growth. Different cell lines require different pore sizes; however, pores were found to be critical as they provide contact points for cells to adhere to, and it was further reported that efficient initial adhesion allows enhanced subsequent downstream cellular activities and behaviors, such as enhanced cellular proliferation and tissue regeneration [31].…”

Review of Polymeric Materials in 4D Printing Biomedical Applications

“…As mentioned previously, a deformed polymer shape-changed by light irradiation is also able to temporarily retain its shape even after the external stimulus is removed. By applying certain wavelength of light, photo-sensitive cross-links are cleaved or formed, thus allowing polymers to retain or return to their intended shapes [18].…”

Additive Manufacturing of Nerve Decellularized Extracellular Matrix-Contained Polyurethane Conduits for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

“…DLP uses a photo-polymerization technique to cross-link photo-curable materials according to your computer-aided design (CAD). When the photo-curable bio-ink absorbs the ultra-violet (UV) ray, it generates active radicals or ionic groups, which in turn leads to the subsequent reaction of polymer polymerization and cross-linking [21]. Three-dimensional structure stereoscopic scaffold within a range of micrometers to nanometers can be prepared using DLP as it uses the light source as its curing energy [22].…”