Bio-ink supply system and three-dimensional bioprinting method using same
Inventors
AHN, Geun Seon • Kim, Min Kyung • Min, Kyung Hyun • Lee, In Gyu • SEOK, Dong Won
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12391938-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
Proposed is a bioink supply system and, more particularly, proposed is a bioink supply system including: a hydrogel storage part; cell storage part; a mixing part configured to receive and mix a hydrogel and a cell solution from the hydrogel storage part and the cell storage part; a sensor part configured to measure a level of bioink inside a syringe; and a controller configured to receive a signal from the sensor part and maintain a constant level of the bioink inside the syringe, in which the mixing part supplies, to the syringe, the bioink prepared by mixing the hydrogel and the cell solution. The bioink supply system can continuously supply an active bioink to a syringe of a bioprinter during 3D bioprinting, and thus can continuously print large-scale biotissue, a plurality of organoids, organ-on-a-chip devices, etc.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a bioink supply system for 3D bioprinting in which hydrogel and a cell solution are stored separately and then mixed to prepare bioink for a syringe. A hydrogel storage part and a cell storage part supply their contents to a mixing part, and the mixing part mixes the hydrogel and the cell solution before supplying the prepared bioink to the syringe.
A sensor part measures a level of bioink inside the syringe, and a controller receives a signal from the sensor part to maintain a constant level of the bioink inside the syringe while supplying bioink to the syringe. The cell storage part includes a stirring means, and the system is configured so that the cell solution containing live cells is stirred while being stored.
A three-dimensional bioprinting method is also disclosed that corresponds to the supply system: hydrogel is stored in a hydrogel storage part, and a cell solution containing live cells is stored in a cell storage part that comprises a stirring means. The hydrogel and the cell solution are supplied to a mixing part, mixed, and the mixture is supplied to a syringe, while a constant level of bioink inside the syringe is maintained.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover four inventive features: separate hydrogel and cell solution storage, mixing into a syringe, sensor-based constant level control, and stirring means in the cell storage part. The claims also include a corresponding three-dimensional bioprinting method.
Syringe-level sensor with controller maintaining a constant bioink level
A sensor part configured to measure a level of bioink inside a syringe, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the sensor part and maintain a constant level of the bioink inside the syringe.
Separate hydrogel and cell-solution storage with mixing part supplying prepared bioink to the syringe
A hydrogel storage part and a cell storage part supply hydrogel and a cell solution to a mixing part, and the mixing part mixes them and supplies the prepared bioink to the syringe.
Stirring means in the cell storage part
The cell storage part comprises a stirring means.
Three-dimensional bioprinting method with constant bioink level inside the syringe
A three-dimensional bioprinting method comprising storing a hydrogel in a hydrogel storage part, storing a cell solution containing live cells in a cell storage part that comprises a stirring means, supplying the hydrogel and the cell solution to a mixing part, mixing them, supplying the mixture to a syringe, and maintaining a constant level of bioink inside the syringe.
The core coverage is directed to separately storing hydrogel and a live-cell solution, mixing them for supply to a syringe, and measuring the syringe bioink level with a sensor so that a controller maintains a constant bioink level, with the cell storage part including a stirring means; the method claims apply the same storage, mixing, syringe supply, and constant-level maintenance during three-dimensional bioprinting.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
3D bioprinting.
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