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International

Journal of Bioprinting

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Precise tuning of microstructure for surface

bacteriostasis using two-photon polymerization
3D printing technology

Fang-Yi Huo , Wentao Zhu , Kan Zhou 3† id , Enduo Zhou , Lei-Ming Cao ,
2†
1†
3
1
Qian Zhu , Bo Cai *, Lin-Lin Bu * , and Hong He *
1
2
2
3 id
1 State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory
of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of
Orthodontics, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
2 Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental and Health Effects of Persistent Toxic Substances,
School of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
3 State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory
of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department
of Oral & Maxillofacial – Head Neck Oncology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan
University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
Abstract
† These authors contributed equally
to this work.
In nature, many biological surfaces exhibit inherent bacteriostatic property due to
*Corresponding authors: the existence of special microstructures. However, the key factors and underlying
Bo Cai
(bcai@jhun.edu.cn) mechanisms driving this property remain unclear. A significant challenge lies in
Lin-Lin Bu the lack of proper techniques for precisely fabricating such microstructures as
(lin-lin.bu@whu.edu.cn) well as finely tuning their morphological parameters. In this study, we adopted a
Hong He two-photon 3D printing-based approach to fabricate microstructures on specified
(drhehong@whu.edu.cn) surfaces with accurate control over their morphology, enabling the investigation
Citation: Huo FY, Zhu W, Zhou K, of structural bacteriostasis. Through abstracting the subtle morphology on shark
et al. Precise tuning of skin, we replicated their bacteriostatic microstructures and were able to regulate
microstructure for surface their morphology at the micron scale. By culturing Streptococcus mutans on the
bacteriostasis using
two-photon polymerization surface of these microstructures, we validated their bacteriostatic performance and
3D printing technology. demonstrated that morphological parameters significantly influenced the efficacy
Int J Bioprint. 2025;11(4):154-164. of structural bacteriostasis. Other kinds of microstructures such as micro-holes with
doi: 10.36922/IJB025150135
bacteriostatic property could also be fabricated and investigated utilizing this two-
Received: April 11, 2025 photon polymerization technology. We believe this strategy offers a powerful tool
Revised: May 8, 2025
Accepted: May 19, 2025 for researching bacteriostatic mechanisms of various microstructures and will inspire
Published online: May 19, 2025 their broad applications in both daily and industrial settings.
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s).
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the Keywords: 3D printing; Antisepsis; Bacteriostatic microstructures; Biomimetics;
Creative Commons Attribution Two-photon polymerization
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited.
1. Introduction
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Bacteria have evolutionarily developed robust surface colonization capabilities, allowing
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1–3
published maps and institutional them to adhere to a wide range of biological and non-biological surfaces. The
affiliations. formation of bacterial biofilms significantly enhances bacterial tolerance to antibiotics,

Volume 11 Issue 4 (2025) 154 doi: 10.36922/IJB025150135