Collagen matrix alignment using inkjet printer technology

Collagen fiber orientation plays an important role in many cell properties and actions in vivo. While it is easy to replicate randomly oriented collagen in vitro, it is much more difficult to create aligned collagen matrices for cell culture. In this work, a novel inkjet printer-based collagen alignment technique was established. A collagen type I solution was printed in a line pattern onto glass substrates using a modified inkjet printer. Staining studies indicated that the heat involved in the printing process is not great enough to denature the collagen. The extent of alignment was observed using light microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and polarized light microscopy. Additionally, cardiomyocytes, which require extracellular matrix alignment to maintain their in vivo phenotype, were cultured on the aligned matrices. The cells grew along the lines of collagen and coordinated beating, indicating the success of the aligned matrix. This collagen alignment technique is cheap, fast, precise, and easy to use in comparison to other current techniques. It may be used to align other extracellular matrix proteins and could even be used to create a three dimensional construct with varying fiber orientations.