| Abstract Scope |
Rotator cuff injuries are a leading cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction, often requiring surgical intervention. Despite over 460,000 surgeries performed annually, failure rates remain high (20%–94%) due to inadequate tendon-to-bone integration and the formation of weak fibrovascular scar tissue. To address this challenge, we adopted a biomimetic approach to design a multilayered tissue graft for 3D printing, specifically targeting regeneration of the bone-to-tendon interface. A collagen-based bioink was developed, demonstrating favorable rheological properties, including shear-thinning behavior, high storage modulus, and stability throughout the printing process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed a biomimetic porous architecture (70–80% porosity) in the 3D-printed grafts, closely resembling native tissue structure. Mechanical properties were significantly enhanced through crosslinking, achieving a stiffness of 2500 ± 100 kPa and tensile strength of 450 ± 25 kPa. The multilayered design mimics the native enthesis, making our 3D-printed grafts promising for tendon-to-bone regeneration in rotator cuff repair. |