Flexible Automation of Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering Tasks

Abstract

Until now, the predominant use cases of industrial robots have been routine handling tasks in the automotive industry. In biotechnology and tissue engineering, in contrast, only very few tasks have been automated with robots. New developments in robot platform and robot sensor technology, however, make it possible to automate plants that largely depend on human interaction with the production process, e.g., for material and cell culture fluid handling, transportation, operation of equipment, and maintenance. In this paper we present a robot system that lends itself to automating routine tasks in biotechnology but also has the potential to automate other production facilities that are similar in process structure. After motivating the design goals, we describe the system and its operation, illustrate sample runs, and give an assessment of the advantages. We conclude this paper by giving an outlook on possible further developments.

Automatic fabrication of 3-dimensional tissues using cell sheet manipulator technique

“…Manufacturing of tissue-engineered grafts has been largely dependent on aseptic liquid handling techniques on clean bench established in the last century. Industrial robots and facilities may provide robustness and reproducibility by decreasing the risk of human errors and contaminations due to human interventions in biological processes [21]. Meanwhile, a hurdle remains in familiarizing researchers about automated fabrication: Single process apparatuses should be installed in conventional clean rooms because the preceding and subsequent processes still have to be done by hand.…”

Potential and Bottlenecks of Bioreactors in 3D Cell Culture and Tissue Manufacturing

“…Robotics could also be an attractive option in the TE field. [119,120] For instance, in an attempt at automating the labor-intensive phase of expanding epithelial cells for dermal TE purposes, a closed bioreactor system with integrated robotics technology was designed to perform both automated medium exchange and cell passaging. [42] Online measurements of medium components and simulations of cell-growth kinetics could be used to determine the timing for medium exchanges and to predict cell confluence and scheduling cell passages.…”

Enabling Sensor Technologies for the Quantitative Evaluation of Engineered Tissue

“…Research in sensors for tissue monitoring will lead to further development of flexible automation systems necessary for the large scale tissue production to enable the commercial success of tissue engineering. 37 An intensive research effort must be engaged within the tissue engineering community in collaboration with the sensor community to produce advanced sensor systems that will provide clinicians and cell biologists with tools to understand the structure-function relationship of engineered tissue. 51 This in turn will result in producing the process plans and systems necessary to develop functional tissue replacement structures.…”