3-D Integrated Organ Printing for Ear Reconstruction

Introduction: The auricular cartilage of the outer ear is composed of chondrocytes embedded in an extracellular matrix (ECM) predominated by collagen (type II), elastin, and various glycosaminoglycan macromolecules. Tissue engineered cartilage for outer ear reconstruction has been a pursuit for more than two decades. The major hurdle has been the deterioration of any molded shape as the developing tissue contracts and succumbs to surrounding forces. This mode of failure also plagues the standard means of surgical repair, which harvests costal cartilage from the ribs, shapes the pieces, and implants them in place of the ear. The reconstructed ear has several disadvantages including fibrocartilage instead of elastic cartilage and weak structural integrity. This study seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of using an Integrated Organ Printing (IOP) platform to fabricate a construct able to develop cartilage tissue in a stable 3-D shape.