Page 516 - IJB-10-3

International

Journal of Bioprinting

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Drop-on-demand bioprinting: A redesigned

laser-induced side transfer approach with
continuous capillary perfusion

Mahyar Erfanian , Ahad Mohammadi 1,2 id , Hamid Ebrahimi Orimi ,
1,2
1,3
Jennyfer Zapata-Farfan 4 id , Joe Saade , Michel Meunier 4 id , Bruno Larrivée 1,6,7 id ,
1,5
and Christos Boutopoulos 1,2,6 id
*
1 Centre de Recherche Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2 Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
3 Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal,
Quebec, Canada
4 Engineering Physics Department, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
5 Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
6 Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal,
Quebec, Canada
7 Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal,
Quebec, Canada

Abstract
We present a drop-on-demand (DOD) bioprinting method based on a novel
implementation of laser-induced side transfer (LIST). Our approach involves
*Corresponding author: continuous bioink perfusion through a glass capillary featuring a laser-machined
Christos Boutopoulos hole in the capillary wall, serving as a nozzle. Focused low-energy nanosecond laser
(christos.boutopoulos
@umontreal.ca) pulses are employed for precise droplet ejection. This innovative design separates
the control of the bioink flow rate inside the capillary from the printing rate (drop
Citation: Erfanian M, Mohammadi ejection), leading to an enhanced printing workflow. We assessed the impact of key

A, Orimi HE, et al. Drop-on-demand
bioprinting: A redesigned laser- printing parameters, such as laser energy and flow conditions, on printing quality.
induced side transfer approach Furthermore, we utilized the redesigned LIST to bioprint human umbilical vein
with continuous capillary perfusion. endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our findings indicate that the printed HUVECs exhibit
Int J Bioprint. 2024;10(3):2832.
doi: 10.36922/ijb.2832 no viability loss and demonstrate the ability to recruit perivascular cells, including
pericytes and fibroblasts. The redesigned LIST can be utilized in tissue engineering
Received: January 26, 2024
Accepted: April 26, 2024 applications requiring DOD cell printing.
Published Online: June 5, 2024
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). Keywords: Laser-assisted bioprinting; Laser-induced forward transfer; Ink-jet;
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the Microvasculature; Biofabrication
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited. 1. Introduction
Publisher’s Note: AccScience Bioprinting technologies aim to construct functional artificial tissues that possess
Publishing remains neutral with lasting mechanical and biological stability. These tissues can be used to address the
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1,2
published maps and institutional shortage of donors and as physiologically relevant models for drug discovery. Central
affiliations. to bioprinting is the layer-by-layer deposition of bioinks containing living cells and/

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 508 doi: 10.36922/ijb.2832