Laponite-reinforced conductive GelMA–-Ionic liquid nanocomposite hydrogels for high-fidelity extrusion printing and localized neurotrophic delivery

The development of advanced hydrogel systems capable of precise three dimensional (3D) printing and controlled therapeutic delivery is critical for next generation biofabrication strategies. In this study, we present a laponite-reinforced gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)/ionic liquid hydrogel engineered to simultaneously improve printability and sustained release of bioactive molecules. The incorporation of laponite nanoparticles markedly enhances rheological characteristics, including viscosity, shear-thinning behavior, and structural fidelity, facilitating high-resolution extrusion-based 3D printing. Specifically, the laponite concentration was limited to 1% w/v to preserve the soft mechanical environment (<3 kPa) essential for neural tissue while sufficiently improving rheological properties for processing. Beyond its mechanical and processing advantages, the hydrogel enables the prolonged release of retinoic acid and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, promoting the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of N2A cells. This dual-functional platform demonstrates significant potential for the fabrication of complex, cell-instructive scaffolds, offering a versatile approach for applications where structural precision and localized drug delivery are essential.