Bioprinting with ultrasound
Ultrasound aligns the structure of artificial tissues during bioprinting
The new technique, which was developed by scientists from North Carolina State University (USA), allows to improve the characteristics of artificial tissues using ultrasound, the press service of the university reports (Ultrasound Aligns Living Cells in Bioprinted Tissues). With its help, printed artificial tissue more accurately imitates the structure of living tissue: it is possible to create implants for the knee joint, ligaments, tendons. An article describing the technology appeared in the journal Biofabrication (Chansoria et al., Ultrasound-assisted biofabrication and bioprinting of preferentially aligned three-dimensional cellular constructs).
The technique was called ultrasonic biofabrication. To align the cells, the researchers created a camera that allows ultrasonic waves to pass through the area where the bioprinter prints living cells. These waves propagate in one direction and are then reflected back to their source. They effectively combine cells into rows that coincide with areas where ultrasonic waves and reflected waves intersect with each other.
"We can control the cell alignment characteristics by changing ultrasound parameters, such as frequency and amplitude," notes Rohan Shirwaiker, one of the authors of the study.
To demonstrate the viability of the new technique, the researchers printed the meniscus of the knee joint, the cells of which were aligned in a semilunar arc – just as they are located in the natural meniscus.
The researchers also found that some combinations of ultrasound parameters lead to cell death. This allows scientists to understand what they can do to improve the functioning of tissues, and what they need to avoid in order to preserve living cells. Therefore, researchers have created computational models that help predict the performance of any given set of parameters before starting biofabrication.
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