Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has been utilised for the encapsulation of pancreatic islets for potentially treating type 1 diabetes. A crucial factor in selecting a cell compatible bioink, that maintains islet functionality, is the mesh size and diffusion capacity of the bioink. In this study,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carolin Hermanns, Rick H.W. de Vries, Timo Rademakers, Adam Stell, Denise F.A. de Bont, Omar Paulino da Silva Filho, Marlon J. Jetten, Carlos D. Mota, Sami G. Mohammed, Vijayaganapathy Vaithilingam, Aart A. van Apeldoorn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Materials Today Bio
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425007458
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849390644491976704
author Carolin Hermanns
Rick H.W. de Vries
Timo Rademakers
Adam Stell
Denise F.A. de Bont
Omar Paulino da Silva Filho
Marlon J. Jetten
Carlos D. Mota
Sami G. Mohammed
Vijayaganapathy Vaithilingam
Aart A. van Apeldoorn
author_facet Carolin Hermanns
Rick H.W. de Vries
Timo Rademakers
Adam Stell
Denise F.A. de Bont
Omar Paulino da Silva Filho
Marlon J. Jetten
Carlos D. Mota
Sami G. Mohammed
Vijayaganapathy Vaithilingam
Aart A. van Apeldoorn
author_sort Carolin Hermanns
collection DOAJ
description Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has been utilised for the encapsulation of pancreatic islets for potentially treating type 1 diabetes. A crucial factor in selecting a cell compatible bioink, that maintains islet functionality, is the mesh size and diffusion capacity of the bioink. In this study, we present a screening strategy for alginate hydrogel formulations in three-dimensional bioprinting, utilizing the fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method and measuring the mesh size of the hydrogels. Subsequently, the 1.5 % alginate formulation that had been selected was used to bioprint the INS1E cell line, primary rat islets, or human islets. It was demonstrated that cell viability and functionality were maintained in all cell sources. This was evidenced by the observation that bioprinted pancreatic islets exhibited a response to physiological glucose levels. The present study indicates that both FRAP and hydrogel mesh size measurements are effective tools for predicting the diffusion of hormones through a hydrogel. These measures should therefore be incorporated into future screenings of hydrogel compositions for the 3D bioprinting of islets.
format Article
id doaj-art-e0c5e535078c4487a61a473fff2d6a24
institution Kabale University
issn 2590-0064
language English
publishDate 2025-10-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Materials Today Bio
spelling doaj-art-e0c5e535078c4487a61a473fff2d6a242025-08-20T03:41:26ZengElsevierMaterials Today Bio2590-00642025-10-013410217510.1016/j.mtbio.2025.102175Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic isletsCarolin Hermanns0Rick H.W. de Vries1Timo Rademakers2Adam Stell3Denise F.A. de Bont4Omar Paulino da Silva Filho5Marlon J. Jetten6Carlos D. Mota7Sami G. Mohammed8Vijayaganapathy Vaithilingam9Aart A. van Apeldoorn10Department of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsMERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Complex Tissue Regeneration (CTR), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Cell Biology – Inspired Tissue Engineering (cBITE), MERLN Institute for Technology Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Corresponding author. Department of Cell Biology–Inspired Tissue Engineering, MERLN Institute, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, the Netherlands.Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has been utilised for the encapsulation of pancreatic islets for potentially treating type 1 diabetes. A crucial factor in selecting a cell compatible bioink, that maintains islet functionality, is the mesh size and diffusion capacity of the bioink. In this study, we present a screening strategy for alginate hydrogel formulations in three-dimensional bioprinting, utilizing the fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method and measuring the mesh size of the hydrogels. Subsequently, the 1.5 % alginate formulation that had been selected was used to bioprint the INS1E cell line, primary rat islets, or human islets. It was demonstrated that cell viability and functionality were maintained in all cell sources. This was evidenced by the observation that bioprinted pancreatic islets exhibited a response to physiological glucose levels. The present study indicates that both FRAP and hydrogel mesh size measurements are effective tools for predicting the diffusion of hormones through a hydrogel. These measures should therefore be incorporated into future screenings of hydrogel compositions for the 3D bioprinting of islets.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425007458BioprintingFRAPRheologyType 1 diabetes mellitus
spellingShingle Carolin Hermanns
Rick H.W. de Vries
Timo Rademakers
Adam Stell
Denise F.A. de Bont
Omar Paulino da Silva Filho
Marlon J. Jetten
Carlos D. Mota
Sami G. Mohammed
Vijayaganapathy Vaithilingam
Aart A. van Apeldoorn
Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
Materials Today Bio
Bioprinting
FRAP
Rheology
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
title Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
title_full Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
title_fullStr Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
title_full_unstemmed Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
title_short Assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks: A crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
title_sort assessing mesh size and diffusion of alginate bioinks a crucial factor for successful bioprinting functional pancreatic islets
topic Bioprinting
FRAP
Rheology
Type 1 diabetes mellitus
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425007458
work_keys_str_mv AT carolinhermanns assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT rickhwdevries assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT timorademakers assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT adamstell assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT denisefadebont assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT omarpaulinodasilvafilho assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT marlonjjetten assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT carlosdmota assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT samigmohammed assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT vijayaganapathyvaithilingam assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets
AT aartavanapeldoorn assessingmeshsizeanddiffusionofalginatebioinksacrucialfactorforsuccessfulbioprintingfunctionalpancreaticislets