Food-grade 3D-Printable porous scaffolds with advanced stem cell microenvironments enabled by bilayer emulgel

Abstract

Porous scaffolds represent promising materials for applications in tissue engineering and cell-cultured meat production. Nevertheless, existing efforts have struggled to achieve a satisfactory balance between edibility, scaffold stiffness, and the behavior of stem cells cultured on these scaffolds. In this study, we introduce bilayer emulgel as a mean of creating 3D-printable porous scaffolds using bio-based materials derived from nature, specifically pea protein and chitin. By incorporating the spray of CaCl₂ solution during the 3D printing process, we achieve exceptional fidelity in the precursor architecture of the scaffolds. The resulting scaffolds, with adjustable pore structures, effectively support the cellular behaviors such as adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of stem cells. Interestingly, apart from the advancement of emulsifying capability, the addition of chitin nanocrystals can significantly enhance the physical properties and biological performance of the scaffolds based on 11S amyloid fibrils. These 3D-printed scaffolds, serving as ideal materials, offer advanced microenvironments for stem cells, thereby advancing the fields of tissue engineering and cell-cultured meat production.