Mikos, Antonios2023-08-092023-052023-04-18May 2023Navara, Adam. "Design and Characterization of a Thermogelling Ink and Support Bath System for Extrusion Bioprinting." (2023) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/115057">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/115057</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/115057Three-dimensional (3D) printing methodologies are growing increasingly popular for fabricating tissue engineering constructs, due to their ability to efficiently and repeatably produce highly complex and patient-specific designs. Of particularly common use is extrusion printing, as it can be used with many pre-existing hydrogel materials due to the more readily compatible rheological and chemical requirements. However, extrusion printing is also associated with the lowest resolution and cellular compatibility of the 3D printing methodologies. Recent innovations in hydrogel support baths have addressed some of these concerns, but the versatility of the studied support materials is limited, as is the understanding of their physical relationship with the ink they support. This work presents the adaptation of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based thermogelling macromer (TGM) for extrusion printing through the inclusion of a poloxamer hydrogel support bath. Material and instrument factors were assessed for their effect on printability and fiber size. Due to the unique dual-gelling nature of the TGM ink, uniform scaffolds can be fabricated consisting of TGM hydrogel fibers with tunable diameters between 80 and 200 μm. In addition, material and instrument factors were also studied for their effect on printed chondrocyte viability. It was determined that printed TGM scaffolds could support viable chondrocytes while maintaining good resolution and uniformity. Finally, the physical relationship between the ink and the support bath, and the dynamic nature of the bath’s rheological properties, were illuminated, contributing to our understanding of this bioprinting methodology.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.Tissue engineeringbiomaterials3D printingthermogelling materialsThesis2023-08-09