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Design of a Biaxial Mechanical Loading Bioreactor for Tissue Engineering
Published on: April 25, 2013
Bone tissue engineering bioreactors: a role in the clinic?
Erin Salter1, Brian Goh, Ben Hung
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Tissue Engineering. Part B, Reviews
|September 10, 2011
Summary
Tissue engineered bone grafts created using perfusion bioreactors may be clinically feasible. With costs comparable to existing cell therapies, these grafts offer a potential solution for bone repair and regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Orthopedic Surgery
Background:
- Large bone defects pose significant clinical challenges.
- Tissue engineered bone grafts offer a promising alternative to traditional treatments.
- Perfusion bioreactors enable the production of clinically relevant bone graft sizes and shapes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of bioreactor-based bone grafts.
- To address the uncertainty surrounding the translational utility of engineered bone grafts.
- To identify gaps in the literature for cost-benefit analysis of in vitro cultivation.
Main Methods:
- Review of tissue engineering approaches for bone repair.
- Analysis of clinical trials using cell-based bone regeneration methods.
- Assessment of advances in bioreactor technology over the past two decades.
Main Results:
- Perfusion bioreactors can produce bone grafts of clinically relevant dimensions.
- Estimated cost of bioreactor-based bone grafts ranges from $10,000 to $15,000.
- This cost falls within the range of established cell-based therapies.
Conclusions:
- Bioreactor-based bone grafts have the potential for clinical implementation.
- Cost-effectiveness is comparable to existing cell-based therapies, especially for autologous grafts.
- Further research is needed to establish an objective baseline for cost-benefit analysis.
