SCTIMST develops gelatin-modified bioink for 3D bioprinting of tissues

Main features of the Chitra-GelMA-UVS Bioink include rapid solubility, biocompatibility, UV protection, adjustable viscosity, printability at ambient temperatures, biodegradability, and enzyme digestibility

The Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has developed the country’s first indigenous patented bioink formulation which can be used for the biofabrication of tissues of liver, kidney, pancreas, skin, brain and heart, using advanced three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology.

The main ingredient in this bioink is a chemically modified gelatin or Gelatin Methacrylamide (GelMA).

The technology for the formulation of the gelatin-modified ultra-violet (UV) safe bioink (Chitra-GelMA-UVS Bioink) had been transferred to the Kochi-based Scire Science Private Ltd. in April this year. The product, under the brand name ‘Scire Chitra GelMA - UVS Bioink’ was officially launched on Wednesday.

Bioprinting is an emerging technology with various applications in making functional tissue constructs to replace injured or diseased tissues

3D bioprinting is the process of deposition of biologics, which can include biomaterials, bioactives, and living cells, which are accumulated layer-by-layer with incredibly high precision in order to form a scaffold, to develop structures which imitate the behaviour and structures of natural tissues

Artificial live tissues

The cells and scaffolding material are integrated together to create a natural or synthetic polymer, what is known as the bioink, which can then be used to create artificial live tissues and organs .

After 3D printing using the bioink, the tissues thus generated must undergo a crucial crosslinking process using ultraviolet light, which, if not carefully managed, can compromise the functionality of the embedded cell.

The innovative bioink developed by the SCTIMST is a combination of the GelMA with special ingredients, which shield cells from UV exposure while preserving the essential crosslinking properties, an official release issued by the SCTIMST said.

The bioink is formulated as dry flakes, which quickly dissolve in water, making it easy to work with in the printing process. The bioink has been evaluated for 3D bioprinting through various experiments and has been successfully tested to create tissues with complex functions such as liver, the SCTIMST said.

The main features of the Chitra-GelMA-UVS Bioink include rapid solubility, biocompatibility, UV protection, adjustable viscosity, printability at ambient temperatures, biodegradability, and enzyme digestibility.

Alternative model

The bioink holds significant promise as an alternative disease model system for drug discovery, chemical testing, and personalised drug development. The 3D tissues created with bioink could enable more reliable laboratory experiments, eliminating the need for animal testing.

This approach has the potential to minimise adverse side effects by facilitating personalised treatments, allowing for a better understanding of how an individual patient’s cells respond to various drugs.

The 3D-printed artificial but functional organs can be used in advanced regenerative therapies for organ replacement or to restore the function of damaged organs.

The technology for the formulation of the Chitra-GelMA-UVS Bioink was jointly developed by the Division of Dental Products, Department of Biomaterials Science and Technology and Division of Tissue Culture, Department of Applied Biology of the Biomedical Technology wing of the SCTIMST. The principal researchers of the project were Anil Kumar P. R. and Shiny Velayudhan, the official release said.

Published - November 20, 2024 08:40 pm IST