An Extrusion-Based System of Natural Biopolymers for Hydrogel Bioprinting in Tissue Engineering

This paper focuses on the implementation of an extrusion-based system of natural biopolymers for bioprinting hydrogels used in the field of tissue engineering. This work aims to provide the user with precise control over the shape of the structures, based on a three-dimensional model generated by a 3D design software. Bioprinting is an innovative technique that uses 3D printers to deposit biocompatible materials and living cells in successive layers, thereby enabling the production of tissues and biological structures. This article presents an extrusion system of natural biopolymers for bio-printing hydrogels. The system is based on a gear pump with temperature control in the pump, nozzle, and container. It includes a separate PID controller for each component to monitor the thermal conditions of the system’s workspace through an electronically implemented control card on a local server. The system’s ability to print both solid and semi-solid bodies using chocolate and biopolymers was demonstrated through experimental tests. Microscopic inspection of the printed objects confirms the proper adhesion of the layers, showing progress in bioprinting through a promising platform for tissue engineering, with the potential to generate significant improvements in this field.