On February 27, 2025, according to the resource database, Dai Guohao, professor of bio-engineering at the Northeast University, and his collaborators managed to develop a new type of elastic hydrogel material and asked for a patent.
The new material is designed for 3D printing of soft tissue and organs. This breakthrough should promote the realization of the blood vessels printed in 3D and human organs, bringing revolutionary changes in the field of regenerative medicine.
Limits of current 3D printing technology
Modern medicine has widely used 3D printing technology to make rigid implants, such as skull plates, hip joints, prostheses and medical devices. However, 3D printing of organs and soft tissues always faces huge challenges.
Existing 3D printing materials (such as polymers, plastic wires, powders or resins) are hardened after cooling and cannot respect the elasticity and flexibility required by soft tissue. Professor DAI underlined: “Resilience is crucial to maintain the normal fabric function.”
Innovation of new elastic hydrogels
To solve this problem, Professor DAI collaborated with Yi Hong of the University of Texas-Arlington to develop a new type of elastic hydrogel. This material not only maintains liquid during printing, but also maintains the shape after printing.
Professor DAI explained: “This new material dissolves in a liquid solution and encapsulates a large amount of water after printing, which simulates an environment where 60% of the body is in water, which is very suitable for cell growth.”
Printing process and cell culture
During printing, the cells are injected into the liquid solution. After printing, the object is exposed to blue light, triggering a photochemical reaction which makes the gel elastic without harming living cells. “You can print any geometry, such as a tube or a blood vessel,” said Professor Dai. After printing, cells reproduce and develop in the structure, and researchers cultivate these cells by simulating the pulsating pressure of human blood pressure.
Biodegradability and future applications
Another key advantage of this new elastic hydrogel is its biodegradability. Professor DAI explained that as it is a foreign polymer, the objective is to degrade it completely while the cells replace it with their own collagen and their elastin to form strong natural blood vessels. Currently, the blood vessels printed after two weeks of culture are still relatively fragile and cannot resist human blood pressure. He thinks that the extension of the culture period to two months can allow cells to develop fully in a strong structure.
Professor DAI said technology could possibly create blood vessels using the patient’s own cells. As the hydrogel degrades, the body will naturally replace it, forming fully functional tissues or organs. This breakthrough not only brings new hope to regenerative medicine, but also provides potential solutions for future organ transplants.
