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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Construction of gelatin–alginate scaffolds containing chondrocytes using 3D bioprinting technology for the study of in vitro cartilage senescence

Hanxiao Qin1† ,  Fanqing Xu1† ,  Jianfeng Li2* ,  Yi Ding1*
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1 Department of Spine Surgery, Ganzhou People’s Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
2 Innovation Platform of Regeneration and Repair of Spinal Cord and Nerve Injury, Department of Orthopedics Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
IJB, 025150136 https://doi.org/10.36922/IJB025150136
Received: 11 April 2025 | Accepted: 27 May 2025 | Published online: 30 May 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive cartilage deterioration. Chondrocyte senescence is recognized as a key contributor to the onset and progression of OA. Establishing reliable cartilage senescence models is, therefore, essential for elucidating the underlying mechanisms and developing preventive strategies for OA. 3D-bioprinted models offer significant advantages in precisely controlling tissue architecture, enabling spatial delivery of bioactive molecules, and supporting dynamic cell culture. In this study, we employed 3D bioprinting technology to construct cartilage models and subsequently established cartilage senescence models using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Firstly, gelatin–sodium alginate hydrogel scaffolds provided favorable mechanical strength and porosity, creating a supportive microenvironment for chondrocyte proliferation. Secondly, these scaffolds exhibited excellent biocompatibility and effectively promoted extracellular matrix synthesis and secretion. By comparing H₂O₂-induced 2D chondrocyte senescence models with 3D-bioprinted cartilage senescence models, our results demonstrated that the 3D models more closely mimicked the molecular characteristics of naturally aged human cartilage. Therefore, the 3D-bioprinted cartilage senescence models represent a promising experimental platform for investigating the pathogenesis and prevention of age-related OA.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
2D chondrocyte senescence
3D bioprinting
3D cartilage senescence
Articular cartilage-laden scaffolds
Bioactive bioink
Funding
This study was supported by the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (JCYJ20230807110259002 and JCYJ20240813150201003) and the Ganzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project (2022-YB1396).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing
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