BPS2025 - Novel 3D-printed wound healing transwell system for reproducible analysis of skin dressing

This study introduces a novel 3D-printed transwell system designed for reproducible wound healing assays in 3D bio-printed skin model. Although primarily focused on wound healing in tissue-engineered skin, it can also be applied to cell migration studies in other tissues, such as tumor microenvironment models. Traditional biopsy punches create wounds in 3D skin models, but controlling wound size and depth is hard due to operator variability. This new platform offers a reliable, cost-effective solution for wound healing research. The system has two functions. First, it supports the air-liquid interface, offering greater flexibility in handling the 3D skin model, respect to the traditional transwell. The grid-like design ensures precise positioning of the skin model in the well. Second, it allows easy wound creation using a conical pin that mimics a real wound. The pin depth is adjustable via a bridge mechanism allowing the pin to penetrate the skin model. CAD-designed components are 3D-printed with polylactic acid filament, while the bridge and pin are made using digital light processing with biocompatible resin. The structure was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, and cell structures in 3D skin models were assessed with confocal microscopy and immunofluorescence staining. Preliminary testing shows the system reliably forms the air-liquid interface and allows precise, reproducible wound creation with adjustable wound depth, ensuring reproducibility across experiments. This versatile 3D-printed transwell system improves experimental reproducibility and control in wound healing studies, making it an innovative tool for tissue-engineering research. This work is supported by the National recovery and resilience plan (NRRP), Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.1, Call no. 104 (2.2.2022) by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), funded by the European Union—NextGenerationEU. Project Title: WoundXene: chronic wound regeneration by MXenes-based 3D-printed patches—CUP B53D23008580006.