Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026
06:44
Author Spotlight: EasyFlow - An Economical and Adaptable Perfusion Bioreactor for Large Blood Vessel Culture
Published on: July 28, 2023
4.9K
Bio-Pick, Place, and Perfuse: A New Instrument for Three-Dimensional Tissue Engineering
Andrew M Blakely1,2,3, Kali L Manning1,2, Anubhav Tripathi2,4
11 Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology, Brown University , Providence, Rhode Island.
Tissue Engineering. Part C, Methods
|December 23, 2014
Summary
Researchers developed the Bio-Pick, Place, and Perfuse (Bio-P3) instrument for tissue engineering. This novel device precisely assembles living multicellular parts into large tissue constructs, overcoming fabrication challenges.
Area of Science:
- Tissue Engineering
- Biofabrication
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Fabricating large, cell-dense tissue constructs remains a significant challenge in tissue engineering.
- Existing methods often struggle with precision assembly and maintaining cell viability in large structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce an innovative instrument, the Bio-Pick, Place, and Perfuse (Bio-P3), for assembling multicellular building parts into larger tissue constructs.
- To demonstrate the capability of the Bio-P3 in precisely handling, placing, and perfusing living tissue parts for organ fabrication.
Main Methods:
- Developed the Bio-P3 instrument inspired by electronics pick-and-place machines.
- Created scaffold-free multicellular microtissues (spheroids, toroids, honeycombs) in nonadhesive micro-molds.
- Utilized the Bio-P3 for gripping, transporting, and precisely placing microtissues, with integrated perfusion.
Main Results:
- The Bio-P3 successfully gripped, transported, and placed microtissues with minimal impact on cell viability and structure.
- Demonstrated stacking of 16 toroids onto a post, forming a fused tissue construct within 48 hours.
- Showcased perfusion capabilities of the Bio-P3's gripper and build head for assembled parts.
Conclusions:
- Scaffold-free building parts and the Bio-P3 instrument address key challenges in large-scale tissue biofabrication.
- The Bio-P3 is a novel tool for controlled assembly and perfusion of living parts for solid organ fabrication.
