Stents printed with Laponite clay bioinks are better able to grow cells.

A joint research project between the University of Southampton and the Technical University of Dresden in Germany has shown that certain types of clay can bioprint human stem cells.
specifically, the team has been working on Laponite, a synthetic nanosilicate clay material, to make 3D-printed bioinks to print human-to-human charged stem cell structures.
this innovative bioink is made from a mixture of Laponite, alginate and methyl cellulose.
many properties of Laponite clay make it suitable for bioprinting stents and drug delivery applications, according to the researchers.
example, Laponite's shear thinning performance improves the printability of bioinks.
when force is applied, Laponite's viscosity decreases, making it easier to squeeze out, and once the force from the extruder disappears, the print material remains in its intended shape.
, Laponite is also ideal for 3D bioprinting brackets.
human cells can be planted on these stents, which also promote cell growth.
once bioprinting was completed, the researchers bred the 3D stent with calcium chloride, which allows alginate to cross-link.
, after 21 days of cultivation, the 3D bioprinting stand still maintains its structure, but the bracket material becomes soft.
addition, the 3D stent maintains 70-75% cellular vitality after cultivation, which is said to be much lower on the stent, which is bioprinted with materials that do not contain Laponite.
third advantage of Laponite-based bioink is related to drug delivery.
according to the team, this clay bioink continuously releases two types of proteins (bovine serum albumin and vascular endoder growth factors), which can support long-term drug or protein delivery.
next step, the researchers will enhance the cellular response in these print structures, according to the researchers.
complete research paper has recently been published in the journal Biofabrication.
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