Abstract: Objective To establish a two-dimensional biological printing technique of chondrocytes so as to control the cell transfer process and keep cell viability after printing. Methods Primary chondrocytes were obtained from auricles of 8-week-old piglets and then were regularly sub-cultured to passage 2 (P2). The experiment was divided into 2 groups:printing group and control group. In printing group, P2 chondrocytes were transferred by rapid prototype biological printer (interval in x-axis 300 μm, interval in y-axis 1 500 μm), and were then cultured for 2 hours, afterwards cell viability was detected by Live/Dead viability Kit and cell fluorescence was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope; In control group, all steps were the same as printing group except that cell suspension received no printing. Results Laser scanning confocal microscope observation on the cells in printing group revealed the “cell ink droplets”. They were distributed regularly and evenly in the two-dimensional layer and each contained 15-35 cells, meeting the requirement of designing two-dimensional cell printing. The cells in printing group went through cell viability test, laser scanning confocal microscope observation showed that it was no significant difference between the control group and the printing groups in terms of cell viability. Conclusion Biological printing technique can realize the oriented, quantificational and regular distribution of chondrocytes in the two-dimensional plane and lays the foundation for the construction of three-dimensional cell printing or even organ printing system.

Key words: Chondrocytes, Cell printing, Tissue engineering