The direct cell controlled assembly technology on the base of RP

This paper reports a technology based on rapid prototyping (RP) to assembly the cells and hydrogels mixture. A cell controlled assembler is developed, which is capable of extruding cells and hydrogels simultaneously into pre-defined three dimensional structures, which is a kind of viable geometry with high-density live cells. The assembling process is biocompatible and occurs at a digital controlled temperature. Three dimensional scaffolds with alginate-gelatin mixture or scaffolds with alginate-gelatin-cells mixture can be formed freely. The cells in the freeform structures indicated a normal morphology and the analyses of the cell survivability showed that more than 90% of the cells are viable during assembling. Furthermore, culturing in vitro, the cells in the structure still retain their ability to function, and the proliferation and division are normal. The RP-based cell controlled assembly technology holds a potential for creating living tissue analogs, has a promising application in the reparation of tissues, especially complex internal organs. Also, there may be a broad application in pharmacology and toxicology study.