Cell viability of 3D-bioprinted fibroblasts in alginate-gelatin-hyaluronic acid scaffolds

BERTUOLA, MARCOS; PALMA, JOAQUIN; GONZALEZ WUSENER, ANA; ARREGUI CARLOS O; REGUEIRA ELEONORA; HERMINA, GLADYS; HERMIDA ÉLIDA

Congreso; XXIV Congress of Bioengineering and the XIII Conference on Clinical Engineering; 2023

Hydrogel 3D bioprinting is a promising technology in soft tissue regeneration. It enables the creation of customized structures that mimic the natural architecture of tissue, with high precision and control. However, there are still challenges regarding the long-term viability and functionality of printed tissues. In this work, we studied the cell viability of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts bioprinted on Alginate-Gelatin-Hyaluronic Acid scaffolds, subsequently cross-linked with CaCl2, using the Live and Dead kit and confocal microscope observations. Then, we performed histological analysis of the scaffolds cultured for 13 days, embedded in parafine wax. By confocal microscopy, a high percentage of viable cells was observed after 24 h of culture (77.9 ± 8.1%), and an increase in viability was evident at longer times, reaching (89.8 ± 5.7% at 13 days). Staining of the histological sections with hematoxylin-eosin allowed distinguishing the cells from the hydrogel matrix, resulting in a promising technique for future counterstaining. Although the presence of collagen fibers synthesized by the fibroblasts was not observed, hyaluronic acid secretion around the cells was elucidated, indicating the beginning of remodeling of the hydrogel matrix at 13 days of culture.