A team of researchers led by Assistant Professor Byoung Soo Kim from Pusan National University, South Korea, has developed a groundbreaking approach to biofabricating adipose tissue, offering promising advances in regenerative medicine. The research, published on February 2, 2025, in Advanced Functional Materials, introduces a novel hybrid bioink aimed at overcoming challenges faced by existing tissue biofabrication methods.
Adipose tissue, known for its role as an endocrine organ, releases molecules that regulate the repair of damaged tissues, including skin. The ability to regenerate adipose tissue could potentially aid in repairing various organs, but current bioprinting techniques have struggled to replicate its native structure and tightly packed lipid droplets. This limitation has hindered the therapeutic use of 3D-printed adipose tissue.
In response to this challenge, the research team created a hybrid bioink combining 1% adipose-derived decellularized extracellular matrix and 0.5% alginate. This bioink restricts the migration of preadipocytes—precursors to fat cells—while promoting their differentiation into adipocytes, a crucial step for generating functional adipose tissue. Dr. Kim explained that under standard culture conditions, preadipocytes typically proliferate and migrate, preventing lipid droplet formation essential for adipose function. The hybrid bioink developed in this study maintains the tissue’s physiological properties, overcoming this issue.
The team also optimized the printing process by ensuring that adipose tissues had a diameter of 600 µm or less to guarantee sufficient nutrient and oxygen delivery. The arrangement of adipose tissue with a spacing of ≤ 1000 µm further supported adipogenesis through paracrine signaling. In vitro tests demonstrated that the 3D bioprinted adipose tissue stimulated skin cell migration by modulating the expression of proteins associated with cell movement, such as MMP2, COL1A1, KRT5, and ITGB1.
To explore the in vivo potential of this technology, the researchers implanted a tissue assembly comprising adipose and dermis modules into mice with skin wounds. The results were promising: the tissue assembly promoted wound healing by inducing re-epithelialization, tissue remodeling, and blood vessel formation. It also regulated the expression of skin cell differentiation-related proteins, suggesting its potential in accelerating skin regeneration.
This innovative approach showcases the potential of 3D bioprinting in precision medicine and regenerative health care. As the commercialization of bioprinting technology grows, it is expected to drive significant market expansion in customized tissue manufacturing, with hospitals and research institutes increasingly adopting bioprinting systems for personalized patient treatments.
Lead author Jae-Seong Lee highlighted the significance of the study, noting that 3D bioprinted endocrine tissues could enhance skin regeneration, particularly for chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, and burns. He emphasized that unlike current fat grafting methods that suffer from low survival rates and resorption, the hybrid bioinks developed in this study could improve cell viability and endocrine function, offering new avenues for regenerative medicine.
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