Extrusion-based bioprinting is a promising technology for producing complex 3D tissue-engineered structures. To further improve printing accuracy and provide mechanical support during the printing process, hydrogel-based support materials have been developed.
However, the gel structure of some bath supports may be compromised by certain Bivinc crosslinking indicators, limiting their compatibility with bioinks. In this study, a xanthan gum-based composite support material with multiple crosslinking mechanisms was developed. Different bath supports may have different base polymer structures (e.g., particle suspensions and polymer solutions with different molecular structures), and these properties are controlled by different types of intermolecular interactions.
However, a common rheological behavior can be expected since they have similar properties and characteristics. In order to provide a detailed study/identification of the common rheological properties expressed by different support tank materials from a comprehensive point of view, standard support tank materials were prepared based on previous studies. The comparative rheological study revealed the common structural properties and shear behavior of the tank support materials, including yield strength, complex gel modulus, shear thinning behavior, and self-healing properties.
The structural stability of the gel and the performance of the carriers were tested in the presence of several cross-linked catalysts, confirming the versatility of xanthan-based carriers.
We also investigated the influence of the substrate material and the diameter of the extrusion needles on the printing properties of the bioinks to demonstrate improved bioprinting and structural integrity. Cytotoxicity and cell capsule viability tests were performed to confirm the cytocompatibility of the xanthan gum-based bath supports. We propose and demonstrate the versatility and adaptability of the new pigeon support materials and provide new detailed insights into the fundamental properties and behavior of these materials as a guide for further development of pigeon-based 3D bioprinting.
