Development of silk microfiber-reinforced bioink for muscle tissue engineering and in situ printing by a handheld 3D printer.

ABSTRACT: Volumetric muscle loss (VML) presents a significant challenge in tissue engineering due to the irreparable nature of extensive muscle injuries. In this study, we propose a novel approach for VML treatment using a bioink composed of silk microfiber-reinforced silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel. The engineered scaffolds are predesigned to provide structural support and fiber alignment to promote tissue regeneration in situ. We also validated our custom-made handheld 3D printer performance and showcased its potential applications for in situ printing using robotics. The fiber contents of SF and gelatin ink were varied from 1 to 5 %. Silk fibroin microfibers reinforced ink offered increased viscosity of the gel, which enhanced the shape fidelity and mechanical strength of the bulk scaffold. The fiber-

SUBMITTER: Kamaraj M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11560616 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature