Microsyringe-based deposition of two-dimensional and three-dimensional polymer scaffolds with a well-defined geometry for application to tissue engineering

A technique for controlled deposition of biomaterials and cells in specific and complex architectures is described. It employs a highly accurate three-dimensional micropositioning system with a pressure-controlled syringe to deposit biopolymer structures with a lateral resolution of 5 mum. The pressure-activated microsyringe is equipped with a fine-bore exit needle and a wide variety of two- and three-dimensional patterns on which cells to be deposited can adhere. The system has been characterized in terms of deposition parameters such as applied pressure, motor speed, line width and height, and polymer viscosity, and a fluid dynamic model simulating the deposition process has been developed, allowing an accurate prediction of the topological characteristics of the polymer structures.