Inkjet Printing of Curing Agent on Thin PDMS for Local Tailoring of Mechanical Properties.

Rapid prototyping of thin, stretchable substrates with engineered stiffness gradients at desired locations has potential impact in the robustness of skin-wearable electronics, as the gradients can inhibit cracking of interconnect and delamination of embedded electronic chips. Drop-on-demand inkjetting of thinned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) curing agent onto a spin-cast 80 µm-thick 20:1 (base: curing agent) PDMS substrate sets the elastic modulus of the subsequently cured film with sub-millimeter accuracy. The inkjet process creates digitally defined stiffness gradient spans as small as 100 µm for single droplets. Varying the drop density results in differences in elastic modulus of up to 80%. In jetting tests of curing agent into pure base PDMS, a continuous droplet spacing of 100 µm results in smooth lines with total widths of 1 mm and a curing agent gradient span of ≈300 µm. Release of freeform mesh elastomer microstructures by removing the uncured base after selective jetting of curing agent into pure base PDMS results in structural line width resolution down to 500 µm.

Reconstruction of a Calvarial Wound Complicated by Infection: Comparing the Effects of Biopatterned Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor.

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) bioprinted on biological matrix induces osseous regeneration in large calvarial defects in rabbits, both uncomplicated and scarred. Healing in unfavorable defects scarred from previous infection is decreased due in part to the lack of vascularity. This impedes the access of mesenchymal stem cells, key to osseous regeneration and the efficacy of BMP2, to the wound bed. The authors hypothesized that bioprinted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) would augment the osseous regeneration achieved with low dose biopatterned BMP2 alone. Thirteen New Zealand white rabbits underwent subtotal calvariectomy using a dental cutting burr. Care was taken to preserve the underlying dura. A 15 mm × 15 mm flap of bone was cut away and incubated in a 1 × 108 cfu/mL planktonic solution of S aureus before reimplantation. After 2 weeks of subsequent infection the flap was removed and the surgical wound debrided followed by 10 days of antibiotic treatment. On postoperative day 42 the calvarial defects were treated with acellular dermal matrix bioprinted with nothing (control), VEGF, BMP2, BMP2/VEGF combined. Bone growth was analyzed with serial CT and postmortem histology. Defects treated with BMP2 (BMP2 alone and BMP2/VEGF combination) showed significantly greater healing than control and VEGF treated defect (P < 0.5). Vascular endothelial growth factor treated defect demonstrated less healing than control and VEGF/BMP2 combination treatments achieved less healing than BMP2 alone though these differences were nonsignificant. Low dose BMP2-patterned acellular dermal matrix improves healing of scarred calvarial defects. Vascular endothelial growth factor at the doses applied in this study failed to increase healing.

Precise control of osteogenesis for craniofacial defect repair: the role of direct osteoprogenitor contact in BMP-2-based bioprinting.

BACKGROUND: Success with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) has been widely reported in the osseous reconstruction of large calvarial defects. These efforts have required enormous doses of BMP-2 and are not sufficiently refined to facilitate the detail-oriented repair required for intricate craniofacial structures. We have previously shown that inkjet-based bioprinting technologies allow for precisely customized low-dose protein patterns to induce spatially regulated osteogenesis. Here, we investigate the importance of direct contact between bioprinted BMP-2 and the dura mater (a source of osteoprogenitors) in mediating calvarial healing. METHODS: Five-millimeter osseous defects were trephinated in mouse parietal bones (N=8). Circular acellular dermal matrix (ADM) implants were prepared such that 1 semicircle of 1 face per implant was printed with BMP-2 bio-ink. These implants were then placed ink-toward (N=3) or ink-away (N=5) from the underlying dura mater. After 4 weeks, osteogenesis was assessed in each of the 4 possible positions (BMP-2-printed area toward dura, BMP-2-printed area away from dura, unprinted area toward dura, and unprinted area away from dura) by faxitron. RESULTS: The BMP-2-printed portion of the ADM generated bone covering an average of 66.5% of its surface area when it was face-down (printed surface directly abutting dura mater). By comparison, the BMP-2-printed portion of the ADM generated bone covering an average of only 21.3% of its surface area when it was face-up (printed surface away from dura). Similarly, the unprinted portion of the ADM generated an average of only 18.6% osseous coverage when face-down and 18.4% when face-up. CONCLUSIONS: We have previously shown that inkjet-based bioprinting has the potential to significantly enhance the role of regenerative therapies in craniofacial surgery. This technology affords the precise control of osteogenesis necessary to reconstruct this region's intricate anatomical architecture. In the present study, we demonstrate that direct apposition of BMP-2-printed ADM to a source of osteoprogenitor cells (in this case dura mater) is necessary for bio-ink-directed osteogenesis to occur. These results have important implications for the design of more complex bioprinted osseous structures.

Cell trafficking and regulation of osteoblastogenesis by extracellular vesicle associated bone morphogenetic protein 2.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are characterized by complex cargo composition and carry a wide array of signalling cargo, including growth factors (GFs). Beyond surface-associated GFs, it is unclear if EV intralumenal growth factors are biologically active. Here, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), loaded directly into the lumen of EVs designated engineered BMP2-EVs (eBMP2-EVs), was comprehensively characterized including its regulation of osteoblastogenesis. eBMP2-EVs and non-EV 'free' BMP2 were observed to similarly regulate osteoblastogenesis. Furthermore, cell trafficking experiments suggest rapid BMP2 recycling and its extracellular release as 'free' BMP2 and natural occurring BMP2-EVs (nBMP2-EVs), with both being osteogenic. Interestingly, BMP2 occurs on the EV surface of nBMP2-EVs and is susceptible to proteolysis, inhibition by noggin and complete dissociation from nBMP2-EVs over 3 days. Whereas, within the eBMP2-EVs, BMP2 is protected from proteolysis, inhibition by noggin and is retained in EV lumen at 100% for the first 24 h and ∼80% after 10 days. Similar to 'free' BMP2, bioprinted eBMP2-EV microenvironments induced osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo in spatial registration to the printed patterns. Taken together, BMP2 signalling involves dynamic BMP2 cell trafficking in and out of the cell involving EVs, with distinct differences between these nBMP2-EVs and eBMP2-EVs attributable to the BMP2 cargo location with EVs. Lastly, eBMP2-EVs appear to deliver BMP2 directly into the cytoplasm, initiating BMP2 signalling within the cell, bypassing its cell surface receptors.

Phase contrast time-lapse microscopy datasets with automated and manual cell tracking annotations.

Phase contrast time-lapse microscopy is a non-destructive technique that generates large volumes of image-based information to quantify the behaviour of individual cells or cell populations. To guide the development of algorithms for computer-aided cell tracking and analysis, 48 time-lapse image sequences, each spanning approximately 3.5 days, were generated with accompanying ground truths for C2C12 myoblast cells cultured under 4 different media conditions, including with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), FGF2 + BMP2, and control (no growth factor). The ground truths generated contain information for tracking at least 3 parent cells and their descendants within these datasets and were validated using a two-tier system of manual curation. This comprehensive, validated dataset will be useful in advancing the development of computer-aided cell tracking algorithms and function as a benchmark, providing an invaluable opportunity to deepen our understanding of individual and population-based cell dynamics for biomedical research.

Dose-dependent cell growth in response to concentration modulated patterns of FGF-2 printed on fibrin.

Immobilized patterns of unmodified fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), with varying surface concentrations, were inkjet printed onto physiologically relevant fibrin substrates. Printed patterns were characterized using iodinated FGF-2 to determine FGF-2 surface concentration and retention of FGF-2 binding in vitro. MG-63 cells were uniformly seeded onto patterned substrates. Cells were exposed to defined spatial FGF-2 surface concentrations of 1-22 pg/mm(2). Cell numbers were observed to increase in register with the printed FGF-2 patterns from an initial random uniform cell distribution across the patterned and non-patterned regions. Based on time-lapse image analysis, the primary organizational response of the cells was determined to be proliferation and not migration. Cell counts on and off the FGF-2 patterns over time demonstrated an increase in cell density up to a FGF-2 surface concentration of 14 pg/mm(2). Higher surface concentrations did not result in increased cell density. In addition, the cells on the FGF-2 patterns survived longer than the cells off patterns. Our inkjet printing approach permits the systematic study of cellular responses to defined spatial surface concentrations of immobilized growth factors.

A Plasma-Based, Amiodarone-Impregnated Material Decreases Susceptibility to Atrial Fibrillation in a Post-Cardiac Surgery Model.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the impact of a plasma-based, material (PBM) impregnated with amiodarone on atrial electrophysiology and atrial fibrillation susceptibility in a porcine post-cardiac surgery model. METHODS: Ten healthy pigs underwent implantation of transvenous pacing systems, after which sterile talc was infused into the pericardial sac via a pericardiotomy. In five animals, PBM was applied to the atrial epicardial surface just before talc infusion. Electrophysiologic evaluations were performed using the pacing system immediately after chest closure and 7 days later. Atrial histologic evaluations were performed. RESULTS: Immediately after chest closure, there were no significant differences in electrophysiologic parameters between talc-only and talc + PBM animals, and atrial fibrillation was largely noninducible. On postsurgical day 7, electrophysiologic evaluation revealed significantly shorter sinus cycle length and atrioventricular nodal refractoriness among talc-only animals relative to talc + PBM animals, possibly suggesting attenuated sympathetic nervous system activation in the latter. Atrial fibrillation inducibility and duration were significantly greater among talc-only animals. No significant differences in atrial refractoriness or conduction time between groups were apparent. Histologic evaluation revealed a relative reduction in epicardial inflammation and less myolysis among talc + PBM animals. CONCLUSIONS: Epicardial application of a plasma-based, amiodarone-impregnated material was associated with a significant reduction in atrial inflammation and susceptibility to fibrillation.

Biopatterned CTLA4/Fc Matrices Facilitate Local Immunomodulation, Engraftment, and Glucose Homeostasis After Pancreatic Islet Transplantation.

Pancreatic islet transplantation (PIT) represents a potential therapy to circumvent the need for exogenous insulin in type 1 diabetes. However, PIT remains limited by lack of donor islets and the need for long-term multidrug immunosuppression to prevent alloimmune islet rejection. Our goal was to evaluate a local immunoregulatory strategy that sustains islet allograft survival and restores glucose homeostasis in the absence of systemic immunosuppression. Nanogram quantities of murine CTLA4/Fc fusion protein were controllably delivered within human acellular dermal matrix scaffolds using an inkjet-based biopatterning technology and cotransplanted with allogeneic islets under the renal capsule to create an immunoregulatory microenvironment around the islet allograft. We achieved long-term engraftment of small loads of allogeneic islet cells with 40% of MHC-mismatched mouse recipients maintaining sustained normoglycemia following pancreatic ß-cell ablation by streptozotocin. Biopatterned CTLA4/Fc local therapy was associated with expansion of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and shifts in cytokine production and gene expression from proinflammatory to regulatory profiles, thus substantially benefiting islet allografts survival and function. This study is a new paradigm for targeted therapies in PIT that demonstrates the favorable effects of immune alterations in the transplant milieu and suggests a unique strategy for minimizing systemic immunosuppression and promoting islet allograft survival.

Engineered spatial patterns of FGF-2 immobilized on fibrin direct cell organization.

The purpose of this study was to initiate the exploration of cell behavioral responses to inkjet printed spatial patterns of hormones biologically immobilized on biomimetic substrates. This approach was investigated using the example of preosteoblastic cell response in vitro to fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) printed on fibrin films. Concentration modulated patterns of FGF-2, including continuous concentration gradients, were created by overprinting dilute FGF-2 bioinks with a custom inkjet printer. The immobilized FGF-2 was biologically active and the printed patterns persisted up to 10 days under cell culture conditions. Cell numbers increased in register to printed patterns from an initial random uniform cell distribution across the patterned and non-patterned fibrin substrate. Patterned immobilized FGF-2, not cell attachment directed cell organization because the fibrin substrate was homogeneous. The capability to engineer arbitrary and persistent hormone patterns is relevant to basic studies across various fields including developmental biology and tissue regeneration. Furthermore, since this hormone inkjet printing methodology is extensible to create complex three-dimensional structures, this methodology has potential to create therapies for tissue engineering using spatial patterned delivery of exogenous hormones.

An off-the-shelf plasma-based material to prevent pacemaker pocket infection.

Bacterial infection of subcutaneous "pockets" housing cardiovascular implantable electronic devices is a significant clinical complication. In this study, pacemakers encapsulated in a blood plasma-based material (PBM) composited with antibiotics were investigated for use as prophylactics against such infections. PBMs, which are made from pooled allogeneic plasma and platelets, are off-the-shelf biomaterials that can be manufactured in the form of complex 3D shapes, extrudable putties, or injectable pastes. In vitro studies with PBM pastes formulated with rifampicin and minocycline demonstrated antibiotic release over 6 days, activity against Escherichia coli, and reduced cytotoxic effects of the antibiotics on fibroblasts. The materials were also evaluated in vivo in a rabbit model in which pacemaker pockets were inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strain and examined 1 week later. The pockets containing the pacemaker plus S. aureus were grossly purulent and culture positive, whereas pockets into which PBM with antibiotics were injected around the pacemaker were free of purulence and culture negative (p < 0.001). None of the pockets into which PBM without antibiotics were placed demonstrated purulence, but 60% were culture positive. These results demonstrate the potential of PBMs to deliver antibiotics to diminish the incidence of pocket infections for pacemakers and other implantable devices.

New frontiers in bone tissue engineering.

No single scientific field can generate the ideal method of engineering bone. However, through collaboration and expansion of programs in bone tissue engineering, the right combination of materials, cells, growth factors, and methodology will come together for each clinical situation such that harvesting bone grafts will become obsolete. This article reviews the need for engineered bone and provides a historical perspective of bone engineering research, current research efforts, and the future direction of this work.

Spatially directed guidance of stem cell population migration by immobilized patterns of growth factors.

We investigated how engineered gradients of exogenous growth factors, immobilized to an extracellular matrix material, influence collective guidance of stem cell populations over extended time (>1 day) and length (>1 mm) scales in vitro. Patterns of low-to-high, high-to-low, and uniform concentrations of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor were inkjet printed at precise locations on fibrin substrates. Proliferation and migration responses of mesenchymal stem cells seeded at pattern origins were observed with time-lapse video microscopy and analyzed using both manual and automated computer vision-based cell tracking techniques. Based on results of established chemotaxis studies, we expected that the low-to-high gradient would most effectively direct cell guidance away from the cell source. All printed patterns, however, were found to direct net collective cell guidance with comparable responses. Our analysis revealed that collective "cell diffusion" down a cell-to-cell confinement gradient originating at the cell starting lines and not the net sum of directed individual cell migration up a growth factor concentration gradient is the principal driving force for directing mesenchymal stem cell population outgrowth from a cell source. These results suggest that simple uniform distributions of growth factors immobilized to an extracellular matrix material may be as effective in directing cell migration into a wound site as more complex patterns with concentration gradients.

Engineering spatial control of multiple differentiation fates within a stem cell population.

The capability to engineer microenvironmental cues to direct a stem cell population toward multiple fates, simultaneously, in spatially defined regions is important for understanding the maintenance and repair of multi-tissue units. We have previously developed an inkjet-based bioprinter to create patterns of solid-phase growth factors (GFs) immobilized to an extracellular matrix (ECM) substrate, and applied this approach to drive muscle-derived stem cells toward osteoblasts 'on-pattern' and myocytes 'off-pattern' simultaneously. Here this technology is extended to spatially control osteoblast, tenocyte and myocyte differentiation simultaneously. Utilizing immunofluorescence staining to identify tendon-promoting GFs, fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) was shown to upregulate the tendon marker Scleraxis (Scx) in C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal fibroblasts, C2C12 myoblasts and primary muscle-derived stem cells, while downregulating the myofibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Quantitative PCR studies indicated that FGF-2 may direct stem cells toward a tendon fate via the Ets family members of transcription factors such as pea3 and erm. Neighboring patterns of FGF-2 and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) printed onto a single fibrin-coated coverslip upregulated Scx and the osteoblast marker ALP, respectively, while non-printed regions showed spontaneous myotube differentiation. This work illustrates spatial control of multi-phenotype differentiation and may have potential in the regeneration of multi-tissue units.

Bioprinting of growth factors onto aligned sub-micron fibrous scaffolds for simultaneous control of cell differentiation and alignment.

The capability to spatially control stem cell orientation and differentiation simultaneously using a combination of geometric cues that mimic structural aspects of native extracellular matrix (ECM) and biochemical cues such as ECM-bound growth factors (GFs) is important for understanding the organization and function of musculoskeletal tissues. Herein, oriented sub-micron fibers, which are morphologically similar to musculoskeletal ECM, were spatially patterned with GFs using an inkjet-based bioprinter to create geometric and biochemical cues that direct musculoskeletal cell alignment and differentiation in vitro in registration with fiber orientation and printed patterns, respectively. Sub-micron polystyrene fibers (diameter ~ 655 nm) were fabricated using a Spinneret-based Tunable Engineered Parameters (STEP) technique and coated with serum or fibrin. The fibers were subsequently patterned with tendon-promoting fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) or bone-promoting bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) prior to seeding with mouse C2C12 myoblasts or C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal fibroblasts. Unprinted regions of STEP fibers showed myocyte differentiation while printed FGF-2 and BMP-2 patterns promoted tenocyte and osteoblast fates, respectively, and inhibited myocyte differentiation. Additionally, cells aligned along the fiber length. Functionalizing oriented sub-micron fibers with printed GFs provides instructive cues to spatially control cell fate and alignment to mimic native tissue organization and may have applications in regenerative medicine.

An engineered approach to stem cell culture: automating the decision process for real-time adaptive subculture of stem cells.

Current cell culture practices are dependent upon human operators and remain laborious and highly subjective, resulting in large variations and inconsistent outcomes, especially when using visual assessments of cell confluency to determine the appropriate time to subculture cells. Although efforts to automate cell culture with robotic systems are underway, the majority of such systems still require human intervention to determine when to subculture. Thus, it is necessary to accurately and objectively determine the appropriate time for cell passaging. Optimal stem cell culturing that maintains cell pluripotency while maximizing cell yields will be especially important for efficient, cost-effective stem cell-based therapies. Toward this goal we developed a real-time computer vision-based system that monitors the degree of cell confluency with a precision of 0.791±0.031 and recall of 0.559±0.043. The system consists of an automated phase-contrast time-lapse microscope and a server. Multiple dishes are sequentially imaged and the data is uploaded to the server that performs computer vision processing, predicts when cells will exceed a pre-defined threshold for optimal cell confluency, and provides a Web-based interface for remote cell culture monitoring. Human operators are also notified via text messaging and e-mail 4 hours prior to reaching this threshold and immediately upon reaching this threshold. This system was successfully used to direct the expansion of a paradigm stem cell population, C2C12 cells. Computer-directed and human-directed control subcultures required 3 serial cultures to achieve the theoretical target cell yield of 50 million C2C12 cells and showed no difference for myogenic and osteogenic differentiation. This automated vision-based system has potential as a tool toward adaptive real-time control of subculturing, cell culture optimization and quality assurance/quality control, and it could be integrated with current and developing robotic cell cultures systems to achieve complete automation.

Inkjet-based biopatterning of bone morphogenetic protein-2 to spatially control calvarial bone formation.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate spatial control of osteoblast differentiation in vitro and bone formation in vivo using inkjet bioprinting technology and to create three-dimensional persistent bio-ink patterns of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and its modifiers immobilized within microporous scaffolds. Semicircular patterns of BMP-2 were printed within circular DermaMatrix human allograft scaffold constructs. The contralateral halves of the constructs were unprinted or printed with BMP-2 modifiers, including the BMP-2 inhibitor, noggin. Printed bio-ink pattern retention was validated using fluorescent or (125)I-labeled bio-inks. Mouse C2C12 progenitor cells cultured on patterned constructs differentiated in a dose-dependent fashion toward an osteoblastic fate in register to BMP-2 patterns. The fidelity of spatial restriction of osteoblastic differentiation at the boundary between neighboring BMP-2 and noggin patterns improved in comparison with patterns without noggin. Acellular DermaMatrix constructs similarly patterned with BMP-2 and noggin were then implanted into a mouse calvarial defect model. Patterns of bone formation in vivo were comparable with patterned responses of osteoblastic differentiation in vitro. These results demonstrate that three-dimensional biopatterning of a growth factor and growth factor modifier within a construct can direct cell differentiation in vitro and tissue formation in vivo in register to printed patterns.

Inkjet printing of growth factor concentration gradients and combinatorial arrays immobilized on biologically-relevant substrates.

Current methods for engineering immobilized, 'solid-phase' growth factor patterns have not addressed the need for presentation of the growth factors in a biologically-relevant context. We developed an inkjet printing methodology for creating solid-phase patterns of unmodified growth factors on native biological material substrates. We demonstrate this approach by printing gradients of fluorescently labeled bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) bio-inks on fibrin-coated surfaces. Concentration gradients were created by overprinting individual substrate locations using a dilute bio-ink to modulate the surface concentration of deposited growth factor. Persistence studies using fluorescently-labeled BMP-2 verified that the gradients retained their shape for up to 7 days. Desorption experiments performed with (125)I-BMP-2 and (125)I-IGF-II were used to quantify the surface concentration of growth factor retained on the substrate for up to 10 days in serum containing media after rinsing of the unbound growth factor. The inkjet method is programmable so the gradient shape can be easily modified as demonstrated by printed linear gradients with varying slopes and exponential gradients. In addition, the versatility of this method enabled combinatorial arrays of multiple growth factors to be created by printing overlapping patterns. The overlapping printing method was used to create a combinatorial square pattern array consisting of various surface concentrations of BMP-2 and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). C2C12 myogenic precursor cells were seeded on the arrays and alkaline phosphatase staining was performed to determine the effect of FGF-2 and BMP-2 surface concentration on guiding C2C12 cells towards an osteogenic lineage. These results demonstrate the utility of inkjet printing for creating orthogonal growth factor gradients to investigate how combinations of immobilized growth factors influence cell fate.

Cell population tracking and lineage construction with spatiotemporal context.

Automated visual-tracking of cell populations in vitro using time-lapse phase contrast microscopy enables quantitative, systematic, and high-throughput measurements of cell behaviors. These measurements include the spatiotemporal quantification of cell migration, mitosis, apoptosis, and the reconstruction of cell lineages. The combination of low signal-to-noise ratio of phase contrast microscopy images, high and varying densities of the cell cultures, topological complexities of cell shapes, and wide range of cell behaviors poses many challenges to existing tracking techniques. This paper presents a fully automated multi-target tracking system that can efficiently cope with these challenges while simultaneously tracking and analyzing thousands of cells observed using time-lapse phase contrast microscopy. The system combines bottom-up and top-down image analysis by integrating multiple collaborative modules, which exploit a fast geometric active contour tracker in conjunction with adaptive interacting multiple models (IMM) motion filtering and spatiotemporal trajectory optimization. The system, which was tested using a variety of cell populations, achieved tracking accuracy in the range of 86.9-92.5%.

Tissue engineering with the aid of inkjet printers.

Tissue engineering holds the promise to create revolutionary new therapies for tissue and organ regeneration. This emerging field is extremely broad and eclectic in its various approaches. However, all strategies being developed are based on the therapeutic delivery of one or more of the following types of tissue building-blocks: cells; extracellular matrices or scaffolds; and hormones or other signaling molecules. So far, most work has used essentially homogenous combinations of these components, with subsequent self-organization to impart some level of tissue functionality occurring during in vitro culture or after transplantation. Emerging 'bioprinting' methodologies are being investigated to create tissue engineered constructs initially with more defined spatial organization, motivated by the hypothesis that biomimetic patterns can achieve improved therapeutic outcomes. Bioprinting based on inkjet and related printing technologies can be used to fabricate persistent biomimetic patterns that can be used both to study the underlying biology of tissue regeneration and potentially be translated into effective clinical therapies. However, recapitulating nature at even the most primitive levels such that printed cells, extracellular matrices and hormones become integrated into hierarchical, spatially organized three-dimensional tissue structures with appropriate functionality remains a significant challenge.

Volatile organic compound detection using nanostructured copolymers.

Regioregular polythiophene-based conductive copolymers with highly crystalline nanostructures are shown to hold considerable promise as the active layer in volatile organic compound (VOC) chemresistor sensors. While the regioregular polythiophene polymer chain provides a charge conduction path, its chemical sensing selectivity and sensitivity can be altered either by incorporating a second polymer to form a block copolymer or by making a random copolymer of polythiophene with different alkyl side chains. The copolymers were exposed to a variety of VOC vapors, and the electrical conductivity of these copolymers increased or decreased depending upon the polymer composition and the specific analytes. Measurements were made at room temperature, and the responses were found to be fast and appeared to be completely reversible. Using various copolymers of polythiophene in a sensor array can provide much better discrimination to various analytes than existing solid state sensors. Our data strongly indicate that several sensing mechanisms are at play simultaneously, and we briefly discuss some of them.