Method of printing a three-dimensional structure

• US 9,855,369 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Organovo Inc. (Organovo Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Organovo Inc. (Organovo Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Keith, Dorfman, Scott, Smith, Nathan, Bauwens, Larry, Sohn, Ian, McDonald, Tim, Leigh-Lancaster, Chris, Law, Richard Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US14/950,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20160074558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 264 401, 264 406, 264308, 264317, 264494, 264496, 264409
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/045 moving along predetermined circuits or distributing the material according to predetermined patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/20 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/295 Heating elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04501 Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04503 aiming at compensating carriage speed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04505 aiming at correcting alignment
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04526 controlling trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04553 detecting ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04563 : detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 : Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 : for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/08 : for producing artificial tissue or for ex-vivo cultivation of tissue prostheses A61F2/00, grafts A61L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/00 : Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L, devices for taking cell samples A61B10/0045, withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L99/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0062 : General methods for three-dimensional culture

Abstract

Described herein are bioprinters comprising: one or more printer heads, wherein a printer head comprises a means for receiving and holding at least one cartridge, and wherein said cartridge comprises contents selected from one or more of: bio-ink and support material; a means for calibrating the position of at least one cartridge; and a means for dispensing the contents of at least one cartridge. Further described herein are methods for fabricating a tissue construct, comprising: a computer module receiving input of a visual representation of a desired tissue construct; a computer module generating a series of commands, wherein the commands are based on the visual representation and are readable by a bioprinter; a computer module providing the series of commands to a bioprinter; and the bioprinter depositing bio-ink and support material according to the commands to form a construct with a defined geometry.

Claims

1. A method of printing a three-dimensional (3D) structure, the method comprising:

(a) providing a 3D printer, the printer comprising;

i. one or more printer heads, wherein a printer head comprises a means for receiving and holding at least one cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises at least one deposition orifice and contents comprising a bio-ink, wherein the bio-ink comprises cell solutions, cells suspensions, or cell concentrations;

ii. a means for dispensing the contents of at least one cartridge;

iii. a receiving surface for receiving a first layer of the materials dispensed from the at least one cartridge;

iv. a programmable computer processor communicatively connected to the means for dispensing, the programmable computer processor for positioning the one or more printer heads in three dimensions and regulating the dispensing of the contents of the at least one cartridge; and

v. a means for calibrating the position of the at least one cartridge or the at least one deposition orifice;

(b) providing the materials to be dispensed;

(c) encoding the printer with a 3D structure to be printed, wherein the 3D structure is a tissue construct;

(d) dispensing from the deposition orifice the materials to be dispensed, wherein the materials to be dispensed comprise cell solutions, cells suspensions, or cell concentrations, wherein the dispensing is by extrusion;

(e) depositing a first layer of the dispensed materials on the receiving surface; and

(f) repeating the depositing step by depositing subsequent dispensed material on the first and any subsequent layers of deposited material, thereby depositing layer upon layer of dispensed materials in a geometric arrangement according to the 3D structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the means for calibrating the position is selected from the group consisting of laser alignment, optical alignment, mechanical alignment, piezoelectric alignment, magnetic alignment, electrical field or capacitance alignment, ultrasound alignment, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the means for calibrating the position is laser alignment.

4. A method of printing a three-dimensional (3D) structure, the method comprising:

(a) providing a 3D printer, the printer comprising;

i. one or more printer heads, wherein a printer head comprises a means for receiving and holding at least one cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises at least one deposition orifice and contents comprising a bio-ink, wherein the bio-ink comprises cell solutions, cells suspensions, or cell concentrations;

ii. a means for dispensing the contents of at least one cartridge;

iii. a receiving surface for receiving a first layer of the materials dispensed from the at least one cartridge; and

iv. a programmable computer processor communicatively connected to the means for dispensing, the programmable computer processor for positioning the one or more printer heads in three dimensions and regulating the dispensing of the contents of the at least one cartridge;

(b) providing the materials to be dispensed;

(c) encoding the printer with a 3D structure to be printed, wherein the 3D structure is a tissue construct;

(d) dispensing from the deposition orifice the materials to be dispensed, wherein the materials to be dispensed comprise cell solutions, cells suspensions, or cell concentrations, wherein the dispensing is by extrusion;

(e) depositing a first layer of the dispensed materials on the receiving surface; and

(f) repeating the depositing step by depositing subsequent dispensed material on the first and any subsequent layers of deposited material, thereby depositing layer upon layer of dispensed materials in a geometric arrangement according to the 3D structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the extrusion in (d) is by application of pressure via a piston, compressed gas, hydraulics, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting the temperature of the printer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the temperature is adjusted by means of a radiant heater, a convection heater, a conductive heater, a fan heater, a heat exchanger, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one cartridge is a syringe or needle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the contents of the cartridge further comprises an extrusion compound.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the extrusion compound is a collagen.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the contents of the cartridge further comprises a support material.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the viscosity of the support material is changed by photocrosslinking.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the bio-ink is liquid or semi-solid.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the bio-ink comprises one type of cell.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the bio-ink comprises more than one type of cell.