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Customizable 3D printed perfusion bioreactor for the engineering of stem cell microenvironments.
Steven J Dupard1,2, Alejandro Garcia Garcia1,2, Paul E Bourgine1,2
1Cell, Tissue and Organ engineering laboratory, Biomedical Centre (BMC), Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Stem Cell Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
|January 26, 2023
Summary
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) enables rapid prototyping of customizable 3D printed perfusion bioreactors. These reusable systems support 3D cell culture, facilitating faithful modeling of complex stem cell microenvironments for research.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Tissue Engineering
- 3D Bioprinting
Background:
- Faithful tissue modeling requires dynamic 3D cellular systems.
- Current technologies lack design flexibility and are complex to prototype.
- 3D cell culture needs more accessible and adaptable systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) for rapid prototyping of 3D printed perfusion bioreactors.
- To validate the biological performance of these bioreactors for cell culture.
- To demonstrate their application in modeling complex stem cell systems.
Main Methods:
- Fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology used to fabricate 3D printed perfusion bioreactors from polylactic acid.
- Bioreactors were biologically validated using human mesenchymal stromal cells on collagen scaffolds under perfusion for up to 2 weeks.
- Engineered microenvironments of varying sizes (6-12 mm diameter) by modulating bioreactor design.
- Metabolic assays and confocal microscopy assessed cell distribution.
- Human hematopoietic stem cells were cultured in co-culture with stromal cells.
Main Results:
- Reusable, customizable 3D printed perfusion bioreactors were successfully fabricated.
- Homogenous distribution of human mesenchymal stromal cells within collagen scaffolds was confirmed.
- Engineered human microenvironments supported the maintenance of human hematopoietic stem cells.
- Recapitulation of 3D interactions between mesenchymal and hematopoietic cells was observed, leading to phenotypic expansion of blood stem cell populations.
Conclusions:
- 3D printing technology can generate effective perfusion bioreactors for cell culture.
- These bioreactors enable faithful 3D modeling of complex stem cell systems.
- The approach facilitates investigation of cellular processes within dynamic 3D microenvironments.
