Investigation of perfusion culture for developing 3D constructs in tissue engineering

• Main Author: Liu, Dan
• Other Authors: Chua Chee Kai
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/47585
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Perfusion culture holds great potential in tissue engineering as an advanced culture technique. This work has investigated perfusion culture for 3D construct development both numerically and experimentally. Simulation showed that perfusion bioreactors with a conic inlet design, an inter inlet/outlet-construct flow zone and absence of flow channels helped deliver an even flow field to the constructs. Modeling studies also showed perfusion could greatly improve cell growth in 3D constructs and consideration of flow shear predicted a higher cell number growth compared to that without shear consideration. A novel perfusion bioreactor was constructed and used to conduct in vitro perfusion culture experiments. It was found that cell retention in the 3D constructs was dependent on flow rate and flow direction. Cell growth benefited from perfusion culture and was reversely linked to perfusion rates. This work helps tissue engineers to further understand and utilize perfusion culture for 3D construct engineering.