Ink jet printing of mammalian primary cells for tissue engineering applications

A piezoelectric drop on demand printer has been used to print primary human osteoblast and bovine chondrocyte cells. After deposition the cells were incubated at 37°C and characterised using optical microscopy, SEM and cell viability assays. Cells showed a robust response to printing exhibiting signs of proliferation and spreading. Increasing the drop velocity results in a reduced cell survival and proliferation rates but both cell types grew to confluence after printing under all conditions studied. © 2005 Materials Research Society.