Multi‐Material 3D Microprinting of Magnetically Deformable Biocompatible Structures

Abstract

AbstractTwo‐photon polymerization (2PP) allows precise 3D printing at the micrometer scale, and by associating it with magnetic materials, the creation of remotely actuatable micro‐structures. Such structures attract a growing interest for biomedical applications, thanks to their size and to the biocompatibility of some photoresist materials. Gelatin methacryloyl (Gel‐MA) is one such material, and can be used to create physiological scaffolds for cell culture. Here, the physico‐chemical properties of two resins are exploited, the first being a silica‐based hybrid polymer, the OrmoComp, and the second a Gel‐MA‐based hydrogel. A 2PP manufacturing protocol is defined and designed to print both materials in succession as a single structure, which is then linked to a neodymium‐iron‐boron (NdFeB) magnetic bead for actuation. By this combination, a magnetically deformable 3D culture substrate is created to study cells in an environment that mimics soft, curved, and dynamic properties of tissues in vivo. The structure is actuated via an external magnetic field and bends back and forth along its longest axis. Lastly, preliminary cell culture trials are conducted showing the proliferation of cells on the structures.