26dkou563 10.3205/26dkou563 urn:nbn:de:0183-26dkou5633 Meeting Abstract Mansour Mansour Shady S

Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT), Experimental Trauma Surgery, Justus Liebig University, Gießen, Deutschland

author El Khassawna El Khassawna Thaqif T

Experimental Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Gießen, Deutschland

author Heiß Heiß Christian C

Department of Trauma, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital of Giessen-Marburg, Experimental Trauma Surgery, Justus Liebig University, Gießen, Deutschland

author German Medical Science GMS Publishing House

Düsseldorf

610 20261020 engl This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). M0659 563 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie Deutsche Gesellschaft für Orthopädie und Orthopädische Chirurgie Deutsche Gesellschaft für Unfallchirurgie Berufsverband für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie Deutscher Kongress für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie (DKOU 2026) Poster experimentell | Implantate Berlin 20261020 20261023 DKOU26_Abs_2477 TextObjectives and questions: Chronic and non-healing wounds persist due to impaired cell migration and extracellular matrix remodeling and increased infection risk. In vitro wound models that reproduce defined defect geometry and cellular repair dynamics are needed to evaluate biomaterial-based wound strategies. This study developed a 3D bioprinted hydrogel wound model to quantify fibroblast viability and defect closure under controlled conditions.Material and methods: Bioinks were screened by mechanical characterisation, printability metrics (filament width, pore size, fidelity), and disintegration testing. The final formulation was gelatin/alginate (30%/7% w/v) with 5 mM CaCl2, post-crosslinked in 100 mM CaCl2 for 7 min. Cylindrical constructs containing a conical defect were printed to mimic acute wound morphology. Rat dermal fibroblasts were isolated, expanded, and encapsulated (baseline cell density per construct). Viability and metabolic activity were assessed by Live/Dead staining, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), and MTT over the incubation period. Three groups (equal initial construct cell density) were prepared: (i) fibroblast-laden constructs (control), (ii) fibroblast-laden constructs with cell-free hydrogel injected into the defect, and (iii) fibroblast-laden constructs with hydrogel containing a lower fibroblast density (1 × 10⁶ cells/mL) injected into the defect.Results: Optimisation selected the Gel/Alg (30%/7% w/v) bioink and CaCl2 crosslinking protocol as the best-performing combination for print fidelity and mechanical stability. Live/Dead staining showed high immediate post-print viability and increasing viable cell numbers over time. CCK-8 and MTT confirmed sustained fibroblast metabolic activity and proliferation in the final formulation, remaining above a 70% viability threshold.Discussion and conclusions: A reproducible 3D bioprinted hydrogel wound construct with a defined conical defect supported fibroblast viability and metabolic activity under the selected printing and crosslinking conditions. The platform enables controlled testing of fibroblast-mediated defect closure and hydrogel-based interventions; future examinations will quantify infiltration and closure histologically. 0 0 0 0