Biomimetic heterogeneous 3D bioprinting of a functionally zonal meniscus
Meniscus injuries are difficult to heal because of the limited vascularization and intrinsic structural heterogeneity of native meniscal tissue. Although 3D bioprinting has emerged as a promising strategy for meniscus tissue engineering, most existing scaffolds remain homogeneous and fail to recapitulate the zonal mechanical and biological characteristics of the native meniscus. In this study, a dual-nozzle 3D bioprinting strategy was developed to fabricate a biomimetic heterogeneous meniscus scaffold with region-specific mechanical and biological properties. Two hydrogel-based bioinks with distinct physicochemical and rheological characteristics were designed to mimic the inner and outer regions of the native meniscus. By integrating region-specific bioinks and cell-laden printing through a dual-nozzle extrusion system, heterogeneous meniscus scaffolds with stable structural fidelity and controllable spatial distribution were successfully fabricated. Rheological analysis demonstrated favorable shear-thinning behavior and printability of both bioinks, enabling continuous extrusion and shape maintenance during the printing process. Mechanical characterization and atomic force microscopy further confirmed the successful establishment of zonal mechanical heterogeneity within the printed constructs. In vitro biological evaluations showed that the bioprinted scaffolds supported high cell viability, sustained proliferation, and favorable cytoskeletal spreading during long-term culture. More importantly, region-specific extracellular matrix expression was observed, with significantly enhanced type I collagen expression in the outer region and elevated type II collagen expression in the inner region, consistent with the native meniscal phenotype. Overall, this study demonstrates that dual-nozzle 3D bioprinting can effectively reconstruct the zonal mechanical and biological heterogeneity of native meniscus tissue. The proposed heterogeneous hydrogel scaffold provides a promising in vitro platform for investigating biomimetic meniscus tissue engineering and may serve as a foundation for future in vivo studies.
