Novel GelMA/GelMA-AEMA Hydrogel Blend with Enhanced Printability as a Carrier for iPSC-Derived Chondrocytes In Vitro.

[en] Cartilage tissue engineering aims to restore damaged cartilage using biomaterials, cells, and/or biological cues to support cell growth and tissue repair. Although in the past decades scientific advances have moved the field forward, their translation to a clinical setting is still hampered. One major hurdle to take is to reduce process variability to ensure a predictable biological outcome. Using enabling technologies such as bioprinting has shown the potential to improve process robustness. However, developing bioinks that balance printability with biological functionality remains a major challenge. This study presents the development and structure-property relationships of a novel gelatin-based hydrogel blend, GelMA/GelMA-AEMA, optimized for extrusion-based bioprinting (EBB) while maintaining the crucial biological properties of GelMA for tissue engineering applications. The novel GelMA/GelMA-AEMA blend demonstrated superior flowability and printability compared to GelMA, effectively addressing common 3D-printing defects such as filament shape inhomogeneity. A systematic rheological characterization revealed that the blend exhibits a softer, elastically dominated structure with improved compliance. The blend behaves as a yield-stress fluid with a strong shear-thinning degree, making it highly suitable for EBB. The superior flow properties of the blend are deemed to enhance bond slippage and stress-induced orientation of its more imperfect gel structure, resulting in greater macroscopic deformation and enhanced print fidelity. In addition, histological assessment of a 21-day in vitro study with iPSC-derived chondrocytes suggested that the blend is at least equally performant as GelMA in supporting matrix formation. Histological analysis shows similar matrix deposition profiles, whereas gene expression analysis and compression tests even have suggested superior characteristics for cartilage TE. This study emphasizes the central role of rheology in bioink development and provides foundations for future material development for EBB, with potential implications for cartilage tissue engineering.

Disciplines :

Engineering, computing & technology: Multidisciplinary, general & others

Author, co-author :

Amorim, Paulo A ; Department of Materials Engineering, Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Group T Leuven Campus, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Agten, Hannah ; Department of Materials Engineering, Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Group T Leuven Campus, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; BIO INX BV, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium

Vermeulen, Margaux; Department of Materials Engineering, Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Group T Leuven Campus, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Van Vlierberghe, Sandra ; BIO INX BV, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium ; Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

Geris, Liesbet ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'aérospatiale et mécanique > Génie biomécanique ; Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium

Bloemen, Veerle ; Department of Materials Engineering, Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Group T Leuven Campus, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Language :

English

Title :

Novel GelMA/GelMA-AEMA Hydrogel Blend with Enhanced Printability as a Carrier for iPSC-Derived Chondrocytes In Vitro.

Publication date :

02 September 2025

Journal title :

Gels

eISSN :

2310-2861

Publisher :

Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Switzerland

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

698

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/9/698/pdf

Funders :

FWO - Research Foundation Flanders

Funding text :

This research was funded by Research Foundation\u2013Flanders grant number 1S97620N.

Available on ORBi :

since 07 July 2026

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