Scientists from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) have developed a nanoengineered bioink with improved bonding and cross-linking capabilities for 3D bioprinting of tumor models. A key component of this bioink is Laponite, highly charged, disk-shaped, crystalline nanoparticles. As explained in their recent paper in Biofabrication, these nanoparticles were shown to enhance the biological signaling that occurs in the tumor microenvironment so that more accurate tumor models can be created for study and anti-tumor drug development.

Tumor microenvironments are complex, with a supportive, connective tissue matrix containing multiple cellular components such as tumor cells, immune cells, organ specific cells, and collagen-producing cancer-associated fibroblasts. In addition, there is extensive cell-to-cell physical interaction and interactive signaling via a variety of biological factors that are difficult to model in an accurate and representative manner… Continue reading.