| Abstract Scope |
Native tissue is composed of a dense cellular structure supported by an extracellular matrix (ECM), which provides mechanical, topographical, and biochemical cues to regulate cellular function. Successful replication of a functional tissue requires biomanufacturing strategies that can recapitulate the developmentally relevant cell-cell/matrix interactions. When tissue interfaces are considered, local changes in ECM composition and cellular make up are crucial. One such tissue is the osteochondral interface, in which the tissue gradually progresses from highly vascular, stiff, and mineralized stiff bone tissue to avascular and elastic cartilage tissue. Compared to cell-laden hydrogels, dense cell bioprinting approaches enable patterning of multi-cellular structures with high cell densities to mimic densely packed native tissue as well as promote much needed cell-cell interactions. Here, we present a novel bioprinting strategy to create dense cellular structures within cell-instructive hydrogels and demonstrate our ability to control hydrogel heterogeneity spatially and temporally to modulate stem cell differentiation. |