A team of biomedical researchers at Stony Brook University, led by Michael Mak, PhD, has introduced a new method for bioprinting physiological materials. The method, known as TRACE (Tunable Rapid Assembly of Collagenous Elements), aims to address previous challenges associated with bioprinting natural body materials. It is expected to advance drug development, disease modeling, and potentially impact regenerative medicine.
The details of this innovative approach are published in the journal Nature Materials. Bioprinting involves positioning biochemicals, biological materials, and living cells to create bioengineered structures. This process utilizes biological inks and biomaterials alongside computer-controlled 3D printing techniques to construct living tissue models for medical research. Although 3D printing technologies are relatively new in medicine and biomedical research, they have established applications in industries like automotive manufacturing.
Despite the potential of bioprinting, achieving functionality in bioprinted tissues and organs has been challenging. Biological cells in traditional bioprinted tissues often cannot perform their natural activities within the body, rendering most bioprinted tissues unsuitable for clinical purposes and advanced medical applications.
Mak expressed hope that TRACE will help overcome these issues in future medical research. “Our method is essentially a novel platform technology that can be used to print wide-ranging tissue and organ types,” says Mak, Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacological Sciences. “With TRACE, we figured out how to fabricate and manufacture complex user-designable tissue and organ structures via 3D patterning and printing using the body’s natural building blocks, particularly collagen.”
Collagen Type I is highlighted as a key component due to its prominence as a protein in the human body. It serves as a fundamental building block for various tissues such as skin, muscle, bone, tendon, and vital organs like the heart. Collagen functions as a natural scaffolding material crucial for holding cells and tissues together.
According to Mak’s explanation in the paper titled “Instant Assembly of Collagen for Tissue Engineering and Bioprinting,” TRACE accelerates collagen gelation through macromolecular crowding—a process where an inert crowding material speeds up collagen molecule assembly reactions.
This method allows researchers to create tissues composed of elements found naturally within the body while applying TRACE technology generates functional tissues including “mini organs” such as heart chambers.
Mak concludes: “TRACE offers a versatile biofabrication platform enabling direct 3D printing of physiological materials achieving both structural complexity biofunctionality.” He adds that this work broadens controllable multiscale biofabrication scope across various organ systems using collagen key component.
