Photocrosslinkable Kidney Decellularized Extracellular Matrix-Based Bioink for 3D Bioprinting.

Abstract

Three-dimensional bioprinting has emerged as a promising strategy in tissue engineering, enabling the fabrication of biomimetic tissue constructs for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug screening. A key challenge in this field is the development of organ-specific bioinks capable of recapitulating native microenvironments to support cell viability, proliferation, and tissue-specific maturation. In this study, a novel photocrosslinkable bioink derived from methacrylated decellularized porcine kidney extracellular matrix (KdMA) is reported. The decellularization process effectively removed cellular components while preserving key extracellular matrix constituents. The resulting KdMA bioink exhibited favorable rheological properties, including tunable stiffness and rapid photocuring kinetics, making it compatible with both digital light processing-based stereolithography and extrusion-based bioprinting platforms. Encapsulated human embryonic kidney cells maintained high viability and formed multicellular spheroids, demonstrating the bioink's cytocompatibility and structural support. Additionally, the KdMA bioink enabled stable multilayer bioprinting with preserved structural integrity and tunable mechanical properties. These results underscore the utility of KdMA as a kidney-specific bioink and its promise as a versatile platform for advancing renal tissue engineering and organoid maturation.