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International Journal of Bioprinting 3D printing with drug for vascular repair

Figure 4. Characterization of 3D-printed artificial blood vessels (ABVs) loaded with endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), statin-loaded nanoparticles
(NPS), and curcumin-loaded nanoparticles (NPC). (A) Schematic illustration of 3D-printed process of ABVs with loaded EPCs and blank nanoparticles
(NP), NPS, NPC, or nanoparticles loaded with statin and curcumin (NPSC). (B) Fabricating ABVs using bioink: (i) bioink, a material used in the 3D
printing-based manufacture of ABVs; (ii) nozzles in different sizes; (iii) 3D printing of ABVs. (C) Microscopic images of 3D-printed ABVs containing
two layers of different thicknesses, which is adjusted by using nozzles of different sizes. (D) Cell viability in groups treated with EPC@NP@BV (blood
vessels loaded with EPC and nanoparticle), EPC@NPS@BV (blood vessels loaded with EPC and NPS), EPC@NPC@BV (blood vessels loaded with EPC
and NPC), and EPC@NPSC@BV (blood vessels loaded with EPC, NPS, and NPC). (E) Fluidity of the 3D-printed ABVs. (F) Viability of EPCs loaded in
ABV by 1, 3, and 7 days. NS indicates not statistically significant (N = 3). (G) Burst pressure of ABV fabricated with each bioink. **p < 0.01 as compared
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to the collagen; p < 0.05 as compared to the collagen (N = 3). (H) Burst pressure of ABV in each group NP@BV (NP-loaded blood vessel), EPC@NPS@
BV, EPC@NPC@BV, and EPC@NPSC@BV on day 7 of culture. *p < 0.05 as compared to the NP@BV (N = 3). (I) Expression of markers specific to EPCs,
such as CD31 and VE-cadherin, in ABV was confirmed with immunofluorescence staining. (J) Western blotting of Ki-67 and VE-cadherin proteins in
2D-cultured EPCs (as “2D”) and ABVs (as “printing”).

Volume 10 Issue 2 (2024) 340 doi: 10.36922/ijb.1857