Step-Ladder Bioprinting to Align Collagen Fibers for Anisotropic Tissue Fabrication
Namli I., Singh YP., Gupta D., Rizvi SHA., Yilmaz YO., Robazzi JVS.
Animal Study, published in Small (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
- Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
- Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
- Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
- Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
- Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.
- Study type
- Animal Study
- Journal
- Small (2026)
- Reported sample size
- —
- Source database
- Europe PMC
- PMID
- 41503892
- PMCID
- PMC12954373
- DOI
- 10.1002/smll.202510498
- Citations
- 1
Abstract (original English)
Aligned collagen microstructure is essential for the mechanical and biological function of anisotropic tissues. However, conventional engineering methods often fail to achieve consistent and tunable fiber alignment within complex geometries. In this study, we developed a step-ladder printing (SLP) approach by incorporating successive segments of channels of variable widths into a custom barrel design, combining controlled extensional flows with 3D bioprinting to enhance collagen fiber alignment. The results revealed that constructs 3D-printed via SLP demonstrated improved anisotropy of collagen fibers and narrower fiber angle distributions compared to both extrusion-based bioprinting with a conventional straight nozzle and drop casting methods. Furthermore, SLP effectively guided the directionality of seeded cells, aligning them consistently with underlying collagen fibers. To exemplify the utility of SLP, we built corneal constructs, achieving high transparency and shape fidelity, and articular cartilage constructs, showing mechanical properties within the range of native tissue and supported extracellular matrix production. These results suggest that the SLP approach offers a strategy for fabricating complex anisotropic tissues with integrated fiber alignment and cellular guidance.
What this study does not prove
- • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
- • This is preclinical work; animal or laboratory results cannot be applied to humans.
Evidence level
Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.
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