New pulsatile hydrostatic pressure bioreactor for vascular tissue-engineered constructs

Mechanical conditioning represents a potential means to enhance the biochemical and biomechanical properties of tissue-engineered cell constructs. Bioreactors that can simulate physiologic conditions can play an important role in the preparation of tissue-engineered constructs. Although various forms of bioreactor systems are currently available, these have certain limitations, particularly when these are used for the creation of vascular constructs. The aim of the present report is to describe and validate a novel pressure bioreactor system for the creation of vascular tissue. Here, we present and discuss the design concepts, criteria, as well as the development of a novel pressure bioreactor. The system is compact and easily housed in an incubator to maintain sterility of the construct. Moreover, the proposed bioreactor, in addition to mimicking in vivo pressure conditions, is flexible, allowing different types of constructs to be exposed to various physiologic pressure conditions. The core bioreactor elements can be easily sterilized and have good ergonomic assembly characteristics. This system is a fundamental tool, which may enable us to make further advances in bioreactor technology and tissue engineering. The novel system allows for the application of pressure that may facilitate the growth and development of constructs needed to produce a tissue-engineered vascular graft.