3D printing PhycoTrix™ for wound healing

With the advent of additive manufacturing and its recent use in regenerative medicine, bioprinting has become a promising technology for tissue engineering applications. PhycoTrix™, a sulphated marine-derived polysaccharide, taken from the cell wall of a DNA barcoded green algal spp., (Chlorophyta), has a chemical structure similar to mammalian glycosaminoglycans found within the dermal skin layer extracellular matrix. This sustainable, under-utilised source of biomaterial was developed into a bioink for use in bioprinting. Specifically, a dual-network hydrogel was engineered through ionic and chemical means. This hydrogel was characterised following methacrylation through 1H NMR, FT-IR, and circular dichroism. The physical properties, printability, and crosslinking kinetics were all assessed through rheology and mechanical properties through micro-indentation. Preliminary cytocompatibility studies were evaluated using fibroblasts and adipose-derived stem cells. The results indicated relatively high cell binding affinity and proliferation compared to other alginate studies, suggesting this novel biomaterial could be useful for wound healing applications, such as wound dressings and matrices for tissue repair and regeneration.