Additive-Manufactured, Multifunctional Bioreactor Technology for Dynamic Culture of 3D Bioprinted Tissue Models

Title data

Sprenger, Lys ; Schorzmann, Johann ; Lu, Hsuan-Heng ; Osama, Muhammad ; Bauer, Julian ; Haug, Michael ; Friedrich, Oliver ; Boccaccini, Aldo R. ; Döpper, Frank ; Salehi, Sahar:
Additive-Manufactured, Multifunctional Bioreactor Technology for Dynamic Culture of 3D Bioprinted Tissue Models.
In: Advanced Materials Technologies. (14 April 2026) . - e02635.
ISSN 2365-709X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202502635

Project information

Abstract in another language

Bioreactors in biofabrication and tissue engineering enable dynamic cell and tissue culture under controlled conditions while applying external stimuli such as mechanical or electrical signals. Together, these features mimic the in vivo environment and support functional tissue formation for implantation or model systems. Most current bioreactors focus on medium perfusion and mechanical or electrical stimulation, but often lack real-time monitoring, which is essential for quality control. To address this gap, this work presents an additively manufactured bioreactor that integrates dynamic perfusion, electrical stimulation, and in-line microscopy and sensor monitoring for culturing 3D-bioprinted constructs. Three bioinks containing C2C12 myoblasts were 3D-printed and cultured in the system, with continuous tracking of pH and temperature and comparison to static controls. Laminar perfusion improved cell viability and spreading in GelMA and ADA-GEL bioinks, with faster myoblast alignment observed in ADA-GEL after 3 days. Platinum-coated copper electrodes embedded in the design produced electric fields of at least 10 V·cm−1. As a proof of principle, isolated murine interossei plantares myofibers were placed in the chamber and electrically stimulated to induce twitching. Overall, this bioreactor demonstrates strong potential as a platform for real-time tissue monitoring and studying customized stimuli during tissue development.