In this method, the team led by Prof. Aleksandr Ovsianikov from the Institute of Materials Science and Technology at TU Wien produces tiny, porous spheres made of biocompatible and degradable plastic.

The spheroids measuring 0.3 mm in diameter can then be filled with immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells derived from human fatty tissue. These are then further developed into cartilage cells using the appropriate differentiation medium. The desired shape of the cartilage is achieved because the porous spheres can form a support structure and compact building blocks allowing them to be assembled into any desired shape.

Original publication:
O. Kopinski-Grünwald et al, Scaffolded spheroids as building blocks for bottom-up cartilage tissue engineering show enhanced bioassembly dynamics, Acta Biomaterialia, 174, 163 (2024). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706123007055?via%3Dihub

Press release of the working group:
https://www.tuwien.at/tu-wien/aktuelles/news/mit-hilfe-von-3d-druck-zu-kuenstlichem-knorpel