An IoT-Enabled Modular 3D Bioreactor for Vascular Tissue Engineering: Design, Fabrication, and Biological Validation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Tissue Engineering
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Static culture systems inadequately mimic physiological conditions for vascular tissue engineering.
• Advanced 3D bioreactor systems are crucial for creating functional vascular tissues.
• Dynamic culture environments enhance cell behavior and tissue development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate an IoT-enabled modular rotating 3D bioreactor platform.
• To assess the bioreactor's suitability for vascular tissue engineering applications.
• To evaluate cell viability, distribution, and metabolic activity within engineered constructs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a modular rotating 3D bioreactor using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).
• Integration of an ESP8266 controller and touchscreen HMI for real-time monitoring and remote operation.
• Culture of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in agarose-chitosan hydrogels within the bioreactor for 14 days.
• Assessment of biocompatibility (LDH assay), cellular distribution, and mitochondrial activity (confocal microscopy with DAPI and MitoTracker staining).

Main Results:

• Sustained cell viability and decreasing cytotoxicity were observed over the 14-day culture period.
• Confocal microscopy confirmed homogeneous cell distribution within the hydrogel matrix.
• Quantitative fluorescence analysis revealed significantly higher MitoTracker intensity than DAPI, indicating enhanced metabolic activity under dynamic conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed IoT-enabled 3D rotating bioreactor offers a stable and controllable platform for vascular tissue engineering.
• The system effectively supports cell viability and promotes metabolic activity in engineered vascular constructs.
• This technology holds promise for advancing the development of functional vascular grafts.