Researchers at the U.S. private research universities Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and Northwestern University in Illinois have developed a method for producing small, biodegradable tubular scaffolds using 3D printing. The scaffolds feature microscopic grooves and channels designed to guide cell growth, with the goal of supporting the regeneration of functional blood vessels.
“I’m really excited about translational research that breaks ground scientifically but also has the potential to improve people’s lives,” Yonghui Ding, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering added. “Many people need bypass surgery, and our research could result in better grafts that lead to better health outcomes for patients.”
The project included contributions from WPI researchers Rao Fu, Ni Chen, Biao Si, and Zhenglun Alan Wei, along with Northwestern University collaborators Guillermo Ameer, Cheng Sun, Evan Jones, and Boyuan Sun. Ding joined Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2023, and the research was funded by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.
Small Scaffolds with Targeted Function
Measuring approximately one centimeter in length and two to three millimeters in diameter, the scaffolds are tiny but precisely engineered. The surface textures create pathways for endothelial and smooth muscle cells to migrate and align along the scaffold, an essential process for rebuilding healthy blood vessels.
“The goal of this research is to regenerate arteries, not just replace them. To achieve that goal, it will be important to develop grafts that temporarily provide the structure for tissue growth and enable new cells to grow into healthy and functional blood vessels,” said Ding.
The scaffolds were produced using a multiscale microscopic 3D printing method called MµCLIP. Layers of liquid polymer were deposited incrementally while ultraviolet light projected patterns onto the surfaces. The resulting citrate-based polymer is flexible, biodegradable, and supports cell alignment. In laboratory tests, endothelial cells migrated and aligned more effectively on the textured scaffolds than on smooth ones.
Expanding Applications Across the Body
The promise of 3D printed scaffolds is not limited to vascular tissue. Researchers at UNSW Canberra have applied similar principles to bone regeneration, creating biodegradable implants that replicate the complex internal architecture of natural bone. Using stochastic lattice structures printed with polylactic acid, the scaffolds provide a framework for cell growth and gradually dissolve as healing progresses, eliminating the need for additional surgery.
The versatility of 3D printed scaffolds also extends to neural repair. At the University of Minnesota, researchers have combined 3D printed scaffolds with spinal neural progenitor cells that assemble into organoid-like structures, enabling partial movement recovery in rats with complete spinal cord injuries. While spinal cord injuries affect over 300,000 people in the US and often cause permanent paralysis, providing a scaffold allows the transplanted cells to organize and form functional networks. The Minnesota team, led by Ann M. Parr, MD, PhD, highlighted the potential for engineered scaffolds to guide cell growth and improve outcomes for patients with currently untreatable nerve damage.
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Featured image shows Yonghui Ding, left, and an illustration of a 3D printed blood vessel scaffold. Image via WPI.
