EnduroBone: A 3D printed bioreactor for extended bone tissue culture

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Long-term ex vivo bone tissue viability is critical for studying diseases, drug efficacy, and simulating in vivo conditions.
• Existing bioreactor systems often have limitations in sustaining bone tissue health and functionality over extended periods.
• Bioreactors are essential tools for mimicking the physiological environment to study bone cellular activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an automated, 3D-printed bioreactor (EnduroBone) for long-term ex vivo culture of cancellous bone cores.
• To assess the capability of the bioreactor to maintain bone cell viability and tissue stability using controlled perfusion and mechanical stimulation.
• To provide an open-source platform for advancing bone cancer research, orthopedic device testing, and related biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Development of an automated 3D-printed bioreactor, EnduroBone, featuring closed-loop continuous flow perfusion (1 mL/min) and cyclic compression (13.2 RPM).
• Ex vivo culture of 10 mm diameter cancellous bone cores from swine samples within the EnduroBone bioreactor.
• Periodic assessment of cell viability using live/dead cell staining and confocal imaging at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days.

Main Results:

• The EnduroBone bioreactor successfully sustained the viability of swine cancellous bone cores ex vivo for up to 28 days.
• Continuous perfusion and mechanical stimulation were effective in promoting cell viability and tissue stability during the extended culture period.
• Live/dead cell staining and confocal imaging confirmed sustained bone cell health throughout the 28-day experimental duration.

Conclusions:

• The EnduroBone bioreactor is an effective and versatile platform for long-term ex vivo bone tissue culture.
• The system's automated features and controlled environment address limitations of previous bioreactors, supporting critical research areas.
• This technology holds significant potential for advancing bone cancer research, orthopedic device development, and understanding bone biology.