Microcylinder-laden gelatin-based bioink engineered for 3D bioprinting

Developing bioinks for 3D bioprinting that are easy to print and highly biocompatible is essential for the growth of the tissue engineering field. Here, a gelatin methacryloyl-based (GelMA) bioink that is loaded with aminolyzed poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) microcylinders is developed. The bioink showed better printing capabilities compared to pure GelMA, which exhibited a smaller window of high quality printability. The addition of microcylinders makes the bioink more forgiving to print by increasing its minimum viscosity while keeping its structural integrity after printing. Cell viability of printed constructs was compared to non-printed constructs to see the effects of shear stress in the new bioink.