A dynamic bioreactor for endothelial and epithelial cell co-culture to mimic aspects of renal microenvironments

There is a pressing need for alternative treatment approaches for chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition which affects a significant proportion of the global population. In vitro tissue-engineered models offer a promising solution by developing a physiologically relevant representation of the kidney's microenvironment. Key criteria in the development of such an environment include a three-dimensional cell culture material, consideration of the interactions of multiple cell types, and the provision of a fluidic environment. Herein, we investigate the use of a bioreactor platform which can maintain epithelial and endothelial cells, seeded on an either side of electrospun scaffolds, within a dynamic fluidic environment. Validation of the bioreactor's capacity to maintain these cell types in co-culture and deliver a physiologically relevant shear stress was demonstrated via colorimetric testing and computational fluid dynamics respectively. Subsequent analysis of the viability, DNA content, morphology, protein and gene expression of both cell types indicate significant variations in cellular responses depending on their culture environments. The results of this work support the use of the bioreactor system as an effective means of replicating aspects of the renal tubule microenvironment, and thus may progress future treatments of CKD.