posted on 2020-03-17, 08:36authored byThomas Lorson, Matthias Ruopp, Ali Nadernezhad, Julia Eiber, Ulrich Vogel, Tomasz Jungst, Tessa Lühmann
Bioprinting
has emerged as a valuable three-dimensional (3D) biomanufacturing
method to fabricate complex hierarchical cell-containing constructs.
Spanning from basic research to clinical translation, sterile starting
materials are crucial. In this study, we present pharmacopeia compendial
sterilization methods for the commonly used bioink component alginate.
Autoclaving (sterilization in saturated steam) and sterile filtration followed by lyophilization
as well as the pharmacopeia noncompendial method, ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation
for disinfection, were assessed. The impact of the sterilization methods
and their effects on physicochemical and rheological properties, bioprinting
outcome, and sterilization efficiency of alginate were detailed. Only
sterile filtration followed by lyophilization as the sterilization
method retained alginate’s physicochemical properties and bioprinting
behavior while resulting in a sterile outcome. This set of methods
provides a blueprint for the analysis of sterilization effects on
the rheological and physicochemical pattern of bioink components and
is easily adjustable for other polymers used in the field of biofabrication
in the future.