Collagen is known as an important component of our skin, but its effect is much greater: it is the most abundant protein in the body and gives structure and support to almost all tissues and organs. Using the novel 3D bioprinting technique "Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels" (FRESH), which enables the printing of soft living cells and tissues, the Feinberg Lab at Carnegie Mellon University has developed a unique microphysiological system or tissue model made entirely of collagen. This advance expands researchers' ability to study diseases and develop tissues for therapies such as type 1 diabetes.
Traditionally, tiny models of human tissue that mimic human physiology – so-called microfluidic, organ-on-a-chip, or microphysiological systems – have been made from synthetic materials such as silicone rubber or plastics, as this was the only way to build these devices. Since these materials are not of the body's own origin, they cannot fully replicate normal biology, which limits their use and application.
"Now we can build microfluidic systems in a petri dish entirely from collagen, cells, and other proteins, with unprecedented structural resolution and accuracy," explained Adam Feinberg, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. "Above all, these models are fully biological, which allows for better cell function."
In a new research paper published in Science Advances, the group demonstrates the benefits of this advance in FRESH bioprinting. This involves creating more complex vascularized tissues from purely biological materials to produce a pancreas-like tissue that could potentially be used to treat type 1 diabetes in the future. This advance in FRESH bioprinting builds on previous work by the team published in Science and improves resolution and quality to create fluid channels that resemble blood vessels down to a diameter of about 100 micrometers.
This technology is currently being commercialized by FluidForm Bio , a spin-off from Carnegie Mellon University . Co-author Dr. Andrew Hudson, Director of Tissue Therapy, and his team have already shown in an animal model that they can cure type 1 diabetes in vivo. FluidForm Bio plans to start clinical trials in patients in the coming years.
