A bilayer photoreceptor-retinal tissue model with gradient cell density design: a study of microvalve-based bioprinting

• Main Authors: Shi, Pujiang, Tan, Yong Sheng Edgar, Yeong, Wai Yee, Li, Hoi Yeung, Laude, Augustinus
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Bioprinting; Retina
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87606; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/44606
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

ARPE‐19 and Y79 cells were precisely and effectively delivered to form an in vitro retinal tissue model via 3D cell bioprinting technology. The samples were characterized by cell viability assay, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and immunofluorescent staining, scanning electrical microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy etc. The bioprinted ARPE‐19 cells formed a high‐quality cell monolayer in 14 days. Manually seeded ARPE‐19 cells were poorly controlled during and after cell seeding, and they aggregated to form uneven cell layer. The Y79 cells were subsequently bioprinted on the ARPE‐19 cell monolayer to form two distinctive patterns. The microvalve‐based bioprinting is efficient and accurate to build the in vitro tissue models with the potential to provide similar pathological responses and mechanism to human diseases, to mimic the phenotypic endpoints that are comparable to clinical studies, and to provide a realistic prediction of clinical efficacy.