Bioreactors in Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Tissue engineering is a promising interdisciplinary scientific field of regenerative medicine. Aiming at the structural and functional restoration of damaged tissues and organs, it possesses a role of significant socioeconomical impact. In the course towards the ultimate goal of artificially constructed natural organs, our knowledge of the elementary constitutive components of living organisms and the intrinsic mechanisms that drive their interactions is greatly enhanced. Bioreactors are valuable tools providing the technological means to investigate fundamental issues for basic research and to improve tissue‐engineering products for clinical applications. They are devices enabling the in vitro simulation of the in vivo biological, physical and mechanical environment of growing tissues. In this review paper, we discuss the general demands defining the design considerations for modern bioreactor systems. These criteria originate from physiological characteristics of the cells and biochemical and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this context, we present an overview of the various bioreactor systems dedicated to the study of specific functional tissues developed by numerous research groups.

Emerging perspectives on 3D printed bioreactors for clinical translation of engineered and bioprinted tissue constructs

“…Moreover, additional parameters such as physical (e.g., electromagnetic waves), 15 chemical (e.g., biochemical or metabolic cues) and mechanical (e.g., compression, shear stress, stretch and compression, pressure loads and fluid flow induced wall shear stress) stimulation on the scaffolds aid the native cell proliferation, differentiation, and ECM production with sufficient stiffness in a short period. 12,16 For example, TC3 bioreactors had promoted the maturation of the muscle cell containing scaffold for volumetric muscle loss. The bioreactor cultured scaffold subjected to fluid flow induced mechanical stimulation has improved the cell proliferation and maturation and increased the expression of muscle markers compared to the static cultured 3D scaffold.…”

Real-time maps of fluid flow fields in porous biomaterials

“…Tissue engineering approaches to regenerative medicine generally employ bioreactors for the growth of tissues because the organization of individual cells into functional structures requires a 3D context [1][2]. Biomaterials have been successfully used as 3D scaffolds to mimic specific biochemical and physical environments [3][4][5][6].…”

Macro‐scale topology optimization for controlling internal shear stress in a porous scaffold bioreactor

“…Mechanical stimulation of cells has been an important area of research in regenerative medicine and tissue regeneration (Nollert et al, 1991;Datta et al, 2006;Stolberg and McCloskey, 2009). Several groups have focused on developing perfusion bioreactors that impose flow-induced shear stresses on cells residing within a porous matrix (Bancroft et al, 2003;Dermenoudis and Missirlis, 2010;Brown et al, 2008;Choi et al, 2007). The research performed to date has demonstrated that shear stress is an important regulator of cell function and a relevant component for pre-conditioning cells prior to transplantation into live organisms (Reich and Frangos, 1991;Hillsley and Frangos, 1997;Smalt et al, 1997;Klein-Nulend et al, 1998;McAllister et al, 2000;Jiang et al, 2002).…”