journal article·2026-06-09Open access

Generation of Self‐Organizing Macrovascular Constructs by Bioprinting Human iPSC‐Derived Mesodermal Progenitor Cells

Leyla E. Dogan, Nathaly A. Chicaiza‐Cabezas, Florian Kleefeldt, Philipp Wörsdörfer, Jürgen Groll, Süleyman Ergün

Abstract

ABSTRACT Vascularization remains a major obstacle in tissue engineering. Here, we introduce a bioprinting strategy to generate centimeter‐scale, self‐organizing “mother vessel” constructs from iPSC‐derived hiMPCs. By optimizing bioink composition, printing was accomplished in a single‐step approach. Within one week, hiMPCs differentiated into both CD31 + endothelial and αSMA + mural cells, driving the morphogenesis of the vessel wall comprising intima, media and adventitia. The remaining hiMPCs formed a mesodermal tissue around the vessel wall. Remarkably, CD34 + , CD150 + , and IBA1 + progenitors were detected within the mother vessel construct. The vessel wall reached a median thickness of approximately 150 µm within the first 10 days and exhibited collagen III and elastic fibers. Furthermore, eNOS expression was detected in endothelial cells. Co‐culture of the “mother vessel” with prevascularized organoids resulted in interconnection between organoid‐derived microvessels and those of the mother vessel. Angiogenic sprouts extended into the surrounding mesodermal tissue. Monocyte adhesion to luminal endothelial cells was significantly increased following TNFα stimulation. After integration into a bioreactor, the mother vessel withstood applied flow without detectable leakage. In summary, we established a developmentally inspired platform that bridges macro‐ and microvascularization. This approach may pave the way toward perfusable, vascularized large‐scale tissue constructs, addressing a major bottleneck in regenerative biofabrication.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: 3D Printing in Biomedical Research · Angiogenesis and VEGF in Cancer · Pluripotent Stem Cells Research

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology Julius‐Maximilians‐University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany

Department of Functional Materials For Medicine and Dentistry at the Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication (IFB) and Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI) Julius‐Maximilians‐University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany

Atlas University Research Center (ARC) Atlas University İstanbul Turkey

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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