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FABRICA: A Bioreactor Platform for Printing, Perfusing, Observing, & Stimulating 3D Tissues.
Lester J Smith1,2, Ping Li3, Mark R Holland4
1Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. smitlej@iu.edu.
Scientific Reports
|May 17, 2018
Summary
FABRICA is a novel 3D-printed bioreactor platform for tissue engineering. It enables real-time monitoring and control of perfusion in 3D-bioprinted tissue constructs, enhancing cell viability.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Tissue Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- 3D bioprinting enables the creation of complex tissue constructs.
- Perfusion is crucial for nutrient delivery and waste removal in engineered tissues.
- Existing bioreactor platforms may lack flexibility and real-time analysis capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce FABRICA, a bioprinter-agnostic 3D-printed bioreactor platform.
- To evaluate FABRICA's performance in culturing, perfusing, and analyzing 3D-bioprinted tissue constructs.
- To assess the impact of perfusion on cell viability in engineered tissues.
Main Methods:
- FABRICA was designed using computer-aided design and 3D-printed with biocompatible materials.
- A Flow Profile Study analyzed media perfusion through synthetic constructs using ultrasonic analysis.
- A Construct Perfusion Study compared histological outcomes of perfused vs. non-perfused 3D-bioprinted tissue constructs over one week.
Main Results:
- Construct volumetric flow rate (VFR) increased with increasing pump VFR, with water and media showing significant increases compared to blood.
- Histological analysis confirmed higher cell viability in the perfused 3D-bioprinted tissue construct compared to the non-perfused control.
- FABRICA demonstrated real-time, aseptic visualization and ultrasonic analysis of perfusion.
Conclusions:
- FABRICA is a versatile, bioprinter-agnostic platform for 3D-bioprinted tissue culture and perfusion.
- The platform facilitates real-time monitoring and control, crucial for optimizing engineered tissue development.
- FABRICA's tunable nature makes it suitable for various tissue types, advancing tissue engineering research.
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