Developing a Proangiogenic Bioink for Vascularizing 3D Printed Nipple Areolar Complexes | Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials Laboratory

Representative H&E 20X images that display evidence of neovascularization in every scaffold type, where a red arrow points to the location of blood vessels and/or capillaries present at the tissue interface. Scale bars represent 100 μm. Image and text are from reference (168).

Current clinical reconstruction of the NAC post-mastectomy fails as a long-term solution due to loss of shape and tissue necrosis. The rapid development of complex, stable vascularization is critical for success of a reconstructed NAC. Using 3D extrusion bioprinting we can create tissue engineered NAC implants with precisely placed bioactive peptides to stimulate and support vascularization. This acellular implant aims to encourage tissue integration and vascularization by the patient’s own body. In this project we are exploring 3D print design, material properties and characterization, and both in vitro and in vivo cellular response.