Airway mucosa-derived extracellular matrix bioink for 3D bioprinting of functional airway tissue

Airway epithelial dysfunction is a hallmark of chronic airway diseases, yet current clinical interventions fail to restore functional airway mucosa. We aimed to develop a bioink derived from airway mucosa-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (MudECM) and evaluate its potential for airway tissue engineering through in vitro and in vivo studies. Airway mucosal tissue was decellularized to preserve tissue-specific ECM components and processed into a thermo-responsive bioink. The biochemical composition, rheological properties, and printability of the bioink were characterized. Human tracheal epithelial cells were cultured on MudECM hydrogels under air-liquid interface conditions to assess epithelial differentiation and mucociliary function. Functional regeneration was tested in a rat tracheal defect model by implanting 3D-printed MudECM scaffolds. A bilayered airway construct was fabricated via 3D bioprinting using MudECM-based bioinks and evaluated for epithelial-stromal organization in vitro.We believe this article will be of particular interest to your readers because airway mucosaderived dECM bioink provides tissue-specific biochemical and mechanical cues that promote mucociliary epithelial regeneration. By enabling both structural and functional restoration in vitro and in vivo, this bioink represents a clinically translatable biomaterial for airway reconstruction. Beyond regenerative graft fabrication, it also offers a robust platform for disease modeling and drug testing in airway research.