  Bioprinting is an enabling biofabrication technique to create heterogeneous
tissue constructs according to patient-specific geometries and compositions.
Optimization of bioinks as per requirements for specific tissue applications is
a critical exercise in ensuring clinical translation of the bioprinting
technologies. Most notably, optimum hydrogel polymer concentrations are
required to ensure adequate mechanical properties of bioprinted constructs
without causing significant shear stresses on cells. However, experimental
iterations are often tedious for optimizing the bioink properties. In this
work, a finite element modelling approach has been undertaken to determine the
effect of different bioink parameters like composition, concentration on the
range of stresses being experienced by the cells in a bioprinting process. The
stress distribution of the cells at different parts of the constructs has also
been modelled. It is found that both bioink chemical compositions and
stoichiometric concentrations can substantially alter the stress effects
experienced by the cells. Similarly, concentrated regions of soft cells near
the pore regions were found to increase stress concentrations by almost three
times compared to the Von-Mises stress generated around the region of cells
away from the pores. The study outlines the importance of finite element models
in the rapid development of bioinks.
