Genipin-crosslinked pectin hydrogels: A dual strategy for enhanced 3D printability and stability

Nov 30, 2025Carbohydrate polymers

Genipin-crosslinked pectin hydrogels for better 3D printing and stronger stability

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Regenerative Health on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Pectin hydrogels with elastic moduli values ranging from 3-5 KPa were developed through amine modification and genipin crosslinking.

Amine modification and genipin crosslinking improved the mechanical stability of pectin hydrogels under physiological conditions.
Crosslinking efficiency of the hydrogels reached a plateau at various amine:genipin ratios from 1:0.6 to 1:3.
3D printed pectin hydrogels maintained structural integrity and enhanced porosity after lyophilization.
The hydrogels exhibited responsive swelling kinetics to pH changes while retaining high hydrolytic stability and being non-cytotoxic.
The developed biomaterial inks allow for precise 3D extrusion of scaffolds with up to 7 layers.

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The development of polysaccharide-based biomaterial inks with tailored physicochemical properties and dynamic responsiveness currently attracts a lot of scientific interest. Pectin, a natural and biocompatible polysaccharide, shows great promise for a wide range of biomedical applications, but its limited mechanical strength and printability constrain its application in 3D extrusion bioprinting. This study introduces a strategy to overcome these drawbacks via amine modification and genipin crosslinking, producing hydrogels with improved mechanical stability under physiological conditions. Pectin hydrogels formed at various amine:genipin ratios (1:0.6 to 1:3) exhibited elastic moduli values in the range of 3-5 KPa under physiological conditions, with crosslinking efficiency reaching a plateau. Biomaterial inks comprising crosslinked pectin particles were dispersed in a reactive aqueous pectin solution, thus enabling precise 3D extrusion of scaffolds with up to 7 layers, maintaining structural integrity post-lyophilization. The 3D printed pectin hydrogels showed enhanced porosity and swelling kinetics, particularly in response to pH changes, while maintaining high hydrolytic stability and non-cytotoxicity. This approach provides a promising platform for developing dynamic, pectin-based bioinks in bio applications requiring of extrusion based additive manufacturing techniques.

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Genipin-crosslinked pectin hydrogels: A dual strategy for enhanced 3D printability and stability

Abstract

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