BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-06DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aeadd0
Claudia Orlanno, Erwin Pavel Lamparelli, Adamo Lancellotti, Giuseppe Pugliese, Chiara Chiavelli, Giorgio Iaconetta, Daniela Guarnieri, Antonietta Santoro, Giovanna Della Porta
{"title":"Translational insights and clinical relevance of glioblastoma 3D<i>in vitro</i>models.","authors":"Claudia Orlanno, Erwin Pavel Lamparelli, Adamo Lancellotti, Giuseppe Pugliese, Chiara Chiavelli, Giorgio Iaconetta, Daniela Guarnieri, Antonietta Santoro, Giovanna Della Porta","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeadd0","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeadd0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glioblastoma (GBM) remains one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant brain tumors, highlighting the urgent need for experimental models that can faithfully recapitulate its complex biology.<i>In vitro</i>models are essential tools for investigating GBM biology and for preclinical drug development. Conventional two-dimensional cultures fail to reproduce the three-dimensional (3D) organization, cellular heterogeneity, and micro-environmental interactions that influence tumor growth and therapeutic response.<i>In vitro</i>3D-GBM models serve as the first step in the translational pipeline, enabling drug screening, mechanistic studies, biomarker discovery, and personalized medicine approaches. Despite their limitations, including a lack of full microenvironmental context and blood-brain barrier considerations, these models provide critical insights that inform preclinical animal studies and early-phase clinical trials. This review critically describes the variety of those 3D models that have been developed, including spheroids, organoids, organ-on-chip systems and describes advantages and drawbacks of these platforms for investigating tumor progression, cell communication, and responses to therapies. Indeed, understanding the strengths and limitations of GBM<i>in vitro</i>models is essential for designing translational studies that can bridge laboratory research with clinical applications. Future advances, including the use of sophisticated bioprinting approaches to generate spatially organized, multilayered microenvironments incorporating diverse cell populations in complex co-culture systems, are anticipated to markedly improve predictive power and therapeutic outcomes in individualized patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149079461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Accelerated formulation screening of multi-component bioinks via a deep learning-integrated high-throughput gradient printing platform.","authors":"Jianpei Dong, Yaling He, Jingxiong Lin, Jiali Zhang, Baiqi Chen, Lu Huang, Jianhua Zhou","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb727","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb727","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The development of performant multi-component bioinks is severely bottlenecked by the astronomical size of the possible design space and the inefficiency of empirical, trial-and-error experimentation. Existing high-throughput screening methods, such as microarrays and droplet microfluidics, remain limited by discrete sampling, cell-unfriendly environments, and a lack of integrated analytics. Herein, a high-throughput gradient printing (HTGP) platform is employed to overcome these barriers by integrating continuous combinatorial bioprinting with deep learning (DL)-powered phenotyping. The HTGP system rapidly generates bioink libraries with gradients within a native three-dimensional hydrogel environment, preserving cell viability and enabling<i>in situ</i>, direct interrogation of cell-material interactions. Coupled with an automated neural network pipeline, the platform quantitatively deciphers complex relationships between bioink composition and cellular responses from massive images. Under the tested<i>in vitro</i>conditions, it identified a formulation that enhanced human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation and spreading, as well as a candidate bioink that exhibited osteo-inductive potential by promoting osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Critically, the formulation identified through DL-assisted screening showed an enhanced early regenerative response in a rat periodontal bone defect model compared with the controls. The HTGP platform shifts from discrete testing to intelligent, continuous exploration, poised to accelerate the discovery of advanced biomaterials for personalized tissue engineering.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149236722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hybrid Chitosan-BSA Bioinks for DLP Biofabrication and DLP-Assisted Molding of 3D Hydrogel Constructs with Embedded Branched Structures.","authors":"Gopinathan Janarthanan, Vinod Nagarajan, Dhruv Patel, Abhay Menon, Sanjairaj Vijayavenkataraman","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aebe6f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/aebe6f","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Digital light processing (DLP) bioprinting enables rapid fabrication of high-resolution three-dimensional constructs, but its broader application remains limited by the availability of bioinks that combine structural stability with biological functionality. Here, we present a hybrid chitosan methacrylate-bovine serum albumin methacrylate (ChiMA-BSA-MA) bioink that integrates the structural support of methacrylated chitosan with the biologically favorable properties of methacrylated bovine serum albumin for DLP biofabrication. The hybrid formulations exhibited shear-thinning behavior, rapid photocrosslinking under 405 nm light exposure, and composition-dependent rheological and mechanical properties suitable for vat photopolymerization. Selected formulations enabled fabrication of free-standing constructs exceeding 10 mm in height while maintaining preserved microscale features. Representative complex geometries and embedded branched structures were successfully fabricated using direct DLP printing together with a complementary DLP-assisted molding strategy. Unlike many existing approaches that rely on extrusion-based bioprinting, support-bath printing, sacrificial templates, coaxial nozzles, or other multistep fabrication procedures, the proposed workflow combines direct DLP printing with a simple secondary molding step using a conventional DLP printer. Biological evaluation demonstrated sustained metabolic activity and cell viability over 14 days. Under chondrogenic differentiation conditions, RT-qPCR showed increased expression of SOX9, COL2A1, ACAN, ELN, COL10A1, and MMP13, indicating induction of chondrogenic and hypertrophy-associated marker expression. Overall, the ChiMA-BSA-MA hybrid bioink provides a versatile platform for DLP biofabrication of tissue models with embedded branched structures, expanding the range of photocurable bioinks available for advanced in vitro tissue engineering applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149340614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Antimicrobial living double-layer skin dressing for inflammation reduction and skin barrier restoration to alleviate<i>Malassezia</i>-induced skin damage.","authors":"Hui-Ling Shen, Han-Xiao Zhuang, Jinyue Sun, Ru-Jing Zheng, Wen-Wen Zhou","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aebe6e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/aebe6e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microecological imbalance associated with<i>Malassezia</i>overgrowth is closely related to the pathogenesis of diverse cutaneous disorders. However, conventional antifungal therapies face critical challenges, including pathogen resistance induction and inflammation exacerbation. To address these, developing safe and effective biological therapies is crucial for managing<i>Malassezia</i>-associated dermatitis. Here, a double-layer skin dressing is designed to efficiently inhibit<i>Malassezia</i>and mitigate<i>Malassezia</i>-induced skin inflammation in mice. The lower layer comprises<i>Paenibacillus</i><i>polymyxa</i>JWYB12, which inhibits<i>M.</i><i>restricta</i>, and the upper layer is a hydrogel composed of Pluronic F-127, polydopamine (PDA), anti-inflammatory exopolysaccharide EPS1, and oxygen-producing<i>Spirulina</i>(SP). Temperature elevation from 4°C to 37°C triggers rapid gelation and robust skin adhesion of the upper layer. SP-mediated oxygen production significantly upregulates energy metabolism genes, thereby enhancing JWYB12 proliferation, while EPS1 exerts a synergistic growthpromoting effect. Collectively, the upper layer markedly augments JWYB12 abundance and its inhibitory activity against<i>M.</i><i>restricta</i>. In murine models, the dressing significantly reduces dermatitis scores and epidermal thickness, alleviates inflammation via cytokine downregulation, and restores skin barrier function by upregulating barrier proteins, thus effectively controlling<i>M.</i><i>restricta</i>-induced inflammation. These properties make this double-layer skin dressing an effective clinical treatment for<i>Malassezia</i>-induced dermatitis, presenting a promising biological therapy strategy for pathogen-associated dermatoses.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149340613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-05DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aeb764
Miaomiao He, Jie Jin, Xinyu Xie, Gang Zhao, Zhongrong Chen
{"title":"Cryomicroneedles: a versatile platform for transdermal delivery of biotherapeutics.","authors":"Miaomiao He, Jie Jin, Xinyu Xie, Gang Zhao, Zhongrong Chen","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb764","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb764","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cryomicroneedles (cryoMNs) are an emerging transdermal drug delivery platform that relies on low-temperature manufacturing. It combines cryoprotection with minimally invasive microneedle technology, effectively maintaining the activity of temperature-sensitive biotherapeutics, including cells, microbes, biomacromolecules and exosomes, overcoming the drawbacks of conventional microneedles. This review summarizes the materials, preparation methods, and wide applications of cryoMNs in cell therapy, microbial delivery, drug delivery, and wound repair. The underlying therapeutic mechanisms, current challenges, and future prospects are also discussed. In summary, cryoMNs have shown great potential in the clinical translation of biotherapeutics, and this article is intended to present valuable references for the continuous development of cryoMNs.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149236782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-03DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aeb763
Johanna Odbratt, Matilda Öjmertz, Patrik Stenlund, Mattias Berglin, Itedale Namro, Yalda R Bogestål, Anthony Atala, Joakim Håkansson, Stina Simonsson, Teresa Olsen Ekerhult
{"title":"Enhancing the structural integrity of 3D bioprinted urethral grafts for clinical applications using GelMA-fibrinogen bioinks infused with human primary cells.","authors":"Johanna Odbratt, Matilda Öjmertz, Patrik Stenlund, Mattias Berglin, Itedale Namro, Yalda R Bogestål, Anthony Atala, Joakim Håkansson, Stina Simonsson, Teresa Olsen Ekerhult","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb763","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb763","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The demand for organ transplantation continues to grow, while challenges remain, such as the shortage of organ donors and complications associated with existing treatments. A promising alternative to transplantation is the implantation of artificial organs, which can be produced using 3D bioprinting technology. This approach offers the advantage of patient-specific solutions tailored to individual needs. Patients with urethral stricture or hypospadias who are unable to urinate require urethral reconstruction, which carries risks of complications and restricture. These patients may benefit from a tissue-engineered urethra fabricated using autologous cells and 3D bioprinting.A printer setup for tubular structures was developed for a 3D-Bioplotter and a gelatin-fibrinogen-based bioink was supplemented with GelMA to enhance mechanical properties for clinical applications while maintaining cell compatibility. Evaluation was performed through tensile testing, printability, suturability and cell viability analyses. An artificial urethral graft was successfully fabricated, demonstrating the operational capacity of our rod-based printer setup and the GelMA-fibrinogen hydrogel exhibited an increase in Young's modulus compared with the gelatin-fibrinogen hydrogel. The GelMA-fibrinogen hydrogel also exhibited good suturability and efficient cell recovery after 14 days of culture. Human urothelial- and smooth muscle cells developed characteristic morphologies within the print, and a 210% increase in burst pressure was observed for the urethral graft after 14 days of culture, compared with the acellular graft.This 3D bioprinted artificial urethra, containing human urothelial and smooth muscle cells, represents a significant step forward in developing new treatment options for urethral disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149236745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-03DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aebd1e
Shiyun Yin, Bin Xia, Yonggang Lv, Guobao Chen
{"title":"Regulation of hepatic stellates cell activation by biomimetic fibrotic hydrogels with uniform and heterogeneous matrix stiffness.","authors":"Shiyun Yin, Bin Xia, Yonggang Lv, Guobao Chen","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aebd1e","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/aebd1e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Current research on liver fibrosis predominantly relies on culture matrices with uniform stiffness, largely overlooking the pathophysiological relevance of stiffness heterogeneity-the spatially uneven stiffness distribution characteristic of fibrotic liver tissue. To address this, we engineered biomimetic fibrotic hydrogels using decellularized liver matrix (DLM) from fibrotic tissues and methacrylated hyaluronic acid (MeHA). These hydrogels replicated the distinct stiffness profiles of normal, earlystage fibrotic, and late-stage fibrotic liver. Using a custom honeycomb-shaped mold, we integrated them into a unified platform featuring both uniform and heterogeneous mechanical regions. By co-culturing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) on this platform, we investigated how matrix stiffness regulates HSCs proliferation, migration, and activation. Results demonstrated that on uniformly stiff substrates, particularly those mimicking late-stage fibrosis, ECM components and high stiffness promoted HSCs activation, upregulated the Piezo1-YAP signaling axis. In contrast, although the lowstiffness region of the mechanically heterogeneous platform exhibited increased HSC proliferation and activation, the proliferation and activation levels in the medium-and high-stiffness regions were significantly reduced. The expression patterns of the Piezo1-YAP signaling pathway further corroborated this phenomenon. These findings suggest that mechanical heterogeneity may exert a negative regulatory effect on HSC activation. This study provides new insights into the mechanobiological mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis and reveals potential therapeutic targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149317649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-03DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aeb726
Héloïse Castiglione, Lucie Madrange, Nuno Brás, Chloé Setien, Camille Baquerre, Johan Renault, Benoît Guy Christian Maisonneuve, Maé Bourgeois, Thomas Lemonnier, Jean-Philippe Deslys, Anatole Chessel, Thibault Honegger, Frank Yates, Jessica Rontard, Pierre-Antoine Vigneron
{"title":"Improved quality and reproducibility of cerebral cortical organoids under microfluidic culture conditions: a proof-of-concept study.","authors":"Héloïse Castiglione, Lucie Madrange, Nuno Brás, Chloé Setien, Camille Baquerre, Johan Renault, Benoît Guy Christian Maisonneuve, Maé Bourgeois, Thomas Lemonnier, Jean-Philippe Deslys, Anatole Chessel, Thibault Honegger, Frank Yates, Jessica Rontard, Pierre-Antoine Vigneron","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb726","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb726","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebral organoids have emerged as advanced three-dimensional<i>in vitro</i>models capable of recapitulating essential aspects of human brain development, thereby offering new opportunities for studying brain physiology and disease. Nonetheless, their use in preclinical settings remains limited by their high variability. Microfluidic devices offer a promising alternative to conventional culture supports by enabling improved recapitulation of the cellular microenvironment; however, most cerebral organoids-on-chips rely on custom-made academic prototypes, limiting their scalability and translatability. Here, we established a standardized brain organoid-on-chip model by combining a regionalized cortical organoid differentiation protocol with a commercially available microfluidic device (Duplex™, NETRI). Cortical organoid quality and reproducibility were evaluated using a previously established multi-criteria Quality Control (QC) framework based on a scoring system. To enhance objectivity and throughput, the non-invasive morphometric QC criteria were automated using deep learning-based image analysis. Using a single human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line, we assessed whether microfluidic culture conditions could improve the quality and reproducibility of cortical organoids within a controlled genetic background. Compared with conventional cultures, on-chip cortical organoids displayed improved inter- and intra-batch reproducibility across multiple scales, including morphology, size, cytoarchitectural organization, and transcript expression, together with higher QC scores and reduced QC failure rates. Finally, the QC framework was adapted for neurotoxicity assessment using a decision tree to classify compounds according to their neurotoxic risk. While this study represents a proof-of-concept demonstration within a single genetic background, the integrated brain organoid-on-chip platform and standardized QC evaluations provide a flexible and translatable approach for preclinical and industrial studies and support future validation across multiple hiPSC lines.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149236734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-02DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aeb3b9
Joseph R Broomhead, Kyle Y Kunisaki, Johanna M Teegarden, Kallie L Frett, Caleb D Vogt, Aidan S Johnson, Siddhant Yelwande, Elizabeth C Yao, Zahra Khosrowpour, Michael Kyba, Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari
{"title":"Robotic winding of wet-spun fibers for biofabrication of aligned, perfusable, muscle-based tissue.","authors":"Joseph R Broomhead, Kyle Y Kunisaki, Johanna M Teegarden, Kallie L Frett, Caleb D Vogt, Aidan S Johnson, Siddhant Yelwande, Elizabeth C Yao, Zahra Khosrowpour, Michael Kyba, Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb3b9","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1758-5090/aeb3b9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Structural alignment of muscle and integrated vasculature enables the function of geometrically complex tissues in the body, such as the gastroesophageal junction and the ventricles. However, replicating this complexity is an ongoing challenge. Described here is the wet-spun & robotically articulated placement (WRAP) method for deposition of aligned cellular fibers on scaffolds, resulting in large structures fabricated from the inside-out. WRAP enables complex, multi-oriented muscle and vascular placement by creating a continuous cellular fiber through wet spinning, and then using a robotic arm programmed with a set of tissue profiles to maneuver the fiber around an organ scaffold. Wet-spun fibers, consisting of muscle cells combined with endothelial cell fibers via double-core spinning, exhibited the ability to mature, align, contract, and initiate tubulogenesis, creating perfusable fibers. Further, the robotic arm could accurately create physiologically relevant fiber patterns with high precision. The potential to generate perfusable blood vessels alongside functional muscle is paramount to fabricating muscle-based constructs. The WRAP method offers a high throughput and versatile solution to the scale-up problem plaguing the biofabrication of muscle-based tissues.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":"18 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13725135/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149317650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofabricationPub Date : 2026-11-02DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/aebcb7
Golestan Salimbeigi, Francisco José Calero Castro, Tom Hodgkinson, Sally-Ann Ann Cryan, Oran D Kennedy, Fergal J O'Brien
{"title":"A fibrochondrogenic polymer fibre-reinforced collagen-based scaffold with graded architecture, mechanics and composition for meniscus repair.","authors":"Golestan Salimbeigi, Francisco José Calero Castro, Tom Hodgkinson, Sally-Ann Ann Cryan, Oran D Kennedy, Fergal J O'Brien","doi":"10.1088/1758-5090/aebcb7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/aebcb7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Developing biomaterials for meniscal repair that reproduce native tissue biomechanics while providing pro-regenerative bioinstructive cues remains challenging. To address this need, we developed a zonal biomimetic fibre-reinforced collagen-based scaffold designed to recreate key microstructural and mechanical features of the meniscus and support fibrochondrogenesis in vitro. A multilayer scaffold was fabricated with a circumferential electrospun (ES) fibre core composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), or a hybrid PCL/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/PLA reinforcement, together with radially oriented melt-electrowritten (MEW) PCL intermediate zones and multidirectional MEW PCL superficial zones, followed by integration with a collagen I-chondroitin-6-sulfate matrix. Fibre-reinforced scaffolds combining MEW PCL with the hybrid ES PCL-PVA-PLA reinforcement framework demonstrated the best-balanced biomechanical performance, achieving mechanical properties within the range reported for native meniscus under comparable test conditions, including tensile, compressive and complex moduli of 140.62 ± 26.31 MPa, 723.21 ± 147.09 kPa and 25.91 ± 1.21 kPa, respectively. Moreover, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultured on this scaffold exhibited enhanced sulfated glycosaminoglycan production, balanced type I and type II collagen expression, and fibrocartilage-like extracellular matrix deposition with the reinforced architecture supporting deeper and more uniform matrix formation. Together, these findings support zonal fibre reinforcement as a design strategy to integrate mechanical fidelity with scaffold-dependent modulation of hMSC fibrochondrogenesis in vitro, identifying the hybrid PCL-PVA-PLA-reinforced scaffold as a best-balanced configuration for meniscal repair.</p>","PeriodicalId":8964,"journal":{"name":"Biofabrication","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2026-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149317648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}