Development and validation of a bioreactor for physical stimulation of engineered cartilage

A bioreactor has been developed to apply different regimes of physical stimulation to tissue specimens under highly controlled conditions. The computer-controlled device exposes specimens to compressive deformation at various strains and frequencies, measures the load applied to each sample and allows simultaneous medium stirring at different velocities. Validation tests confirmed the accuracy of the system in (i) its displacement (errors averaged 0.072+/-0.051 microm), and in (ii) setting the contact with the samples utilizing micrometer screws coupled to plungers (errors averaged 1.74+/-0.36% for samples of 1.60-3.18 mm thickness), thus ensuring accurate compressive deformation. The developed bioreactor, which represents an advance in the technology for physical stimulation of tissue specimens, is currently used to apply compressive deformation and hydrodynamic forces to human chondrocytes cultured in biodegradable polymer scaffolds, with the goals of (i) engineering functional grafts for the repair of cartilage defects (ii).