Biocompatible PEGDA Resin for 3D Printing

We report a noncytotoxic resin compatible with and designed for use in custom high-resolution 3D printers that follow the design approach described in Gong et al., Lab Chip 17, 2899 (2017). The noncytotoxic resin is based on a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) monomer with avobenzone as the UV absorber instead of 2-nitrophenyl phenyl sulfide (NPS). Both NPS-PEGDA and avobenzone-PEGDA (A-PEGDA) resins were evaluated for cytotoxicity and cell adhesion. We show that NPS-PEGDA can be made effectively noncytotoxic with a postprint 12 h ethanol wash, and that A-PEGDA, as-printed, is effectively noncytotoxic. 3D prints made with either resin do not support strong cell adhesion in their as -printed state; however, cell adhesion increases dramatically with a short plasma treatment. Using A-PEGDA, we demonstrate spheroid formation in ultralow adhesion 3D printed wells, and cell migration from spheroids on plasma-treated adherent surfaces. Given that A-PEGDA can be 3D printed with high resolution, it has significant promise for a wide variety of cell-based applications using 3D printed microfluidic structures.