Investigation of cell viability and morphology in 3D bio‐printed alginate constructs with tunable stiffness

Abstract In this article, mouse fibroblast cells (L929) were seeded on 2%, 5%, and 10% alginate hydrogels, and they were also bio‐printed with 2%, 5%, and 10% alginate solutions individually to form constructs. The elastic and viscous moduli of alginate solutions, their interior structure and stiffness, interactions of cells and alginate, cell viability, migration and morphology were investigated by rheometer, MTT assay, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and fluorescent microscopy. The three types of bio‐printed scaffolds of distinctive stiffness were prepared, and the seeded cells showed robust viability either on the alginate hydrogel surfaces or in the 3D bio‐printed constructs. Majority of the proliferated cells in the 3D bio‐printed constructs weakly attached to the surrounding alginate matrix. The concentration of alginate solution and hydrogel stiffness influenced cell migration and morphology, moreover the cells formed spheroids in the bio‐printed 10% alginate hydrogel construct. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1009–1018, 2017.