Figure 3:

Spatial control of hydrogels with bioprinting and applications to probe cell behavior. Extrusion bioprinting has been used to (a) create disease models with spatially defined regions of abnormally functioning cells, and to (b) study cellular cross-talk by local deposition in cell-specific microenvironments. (c) Other hydrogel formulations such as particle-based modular granular hydrogels have been used to create distinct or gradual gradients in material properties. (d) Suspension bath printing has been used to create perfusable channels with cell attachment to probe spatially regulated growth factor gradients and angiogenic response. (e) Deposition of free-standing filaments is possible with extrusion into a granular support medium that allows time-dependent cell-driven interfacing with adjacent filaments and mechanical adaptation.