Closed Bioreactor Seeding for Uniform Tissue Scaffold Cell Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue engineering systems face challenges in simulating the mechanical environment for tissue growth, require open processing steps that increase contamination risk, and are not adaptable to various scaffold materials and geometries, necessitating a closed system for fluidic seeding and exercise.
Innovation Solution
A bioreactor system that allows for print-free, fluidic seeding and mechanical exercise of tissue-engineered muscle repair constructs in a closed environment, accommodating various scaffold materials and geometries, with integrated seeding ports and a mechanism for uniaxial stretch pre-conditioning, ensuring contamination prevention and process robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If open processing steps are used for seeding, then cell deposition can be performed, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the seeding function from the open environment and relocates it to a closed bioreactor system. Seeding ports are integrated into the closed bioreactor, allowing cell suspension to be introduced through fluidic connections without opening the system to the external environment, thereby eliminating contamination risk while maintaining ease of manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fluidic connections and sealed ports as intermediaries between the external cell suspension source and the internal bioreactor environment. These intermediaries enable cell delivery without direct exposure to the external environment, resolving the contradiction between ease of seeding and contamination prevention
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple open processing steps are required, then scaffolds can be seeded, but manufacturing cost increases due to clean room requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the seeding function with the closed bioreactor system by integrating seeding ports directly into the bioreactor structure. This consolidation allows seeding to occur within the closed environment without requiring separate clean room facilities, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining seeding capability
Solution Approach 2:
The closed bioreactor system is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as the cultivation environment and as the seeding platform through integrated ports. This universal design eliminates the need for separate clean room infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity and cost
3Manufacturing precision
If cells are seeded on scaffold surfaces, then tissue formation occurs, but uniform cell distribution is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fluidic connections to deliver cell suspension uniformly across the scaffold surface. The hydraulic flow mechanism ensures even distribution of cells throughout the porous scaffold structure, achieving uniform cell distribution while maintaining ease of operation through automated fluid delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of the scaffold to facilitate uniform cell penetration and distribution. The porous material allows cell suspension to permeate throughout the scaffold matrix, ensuring homogeneous cell distribution without complex seeding operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high cell coverage and alignment, reducing contamination risk and manufacturing costs while enabling continuous monitoring and automation, producing TEMR constructs suitable for surgical implantation.
Implementation Method 1
simulating the mechanical stresses that the cells would undergo in the body
Implementation Method 2
The HA hydrogel can be used to direct the even deposition of cells across the scaffolds, and it is currently unknown if there are lasting effects of the temporary presence of HA on the development of the tissue engineering muscle repair product. The hydrogel dissolves into the culture media over time
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for exercising cells and/or tissue in a sealed bioreactor. System includes a cartridge having a stretching means and a means to retain cells on a scaffold mounted within the cartridge during seeding. System includes a bioreactor including a sealed enclosure, the sealed enclosure housing the scaffold and the cartridge, the bioreactor enabling uniform seeding of the scaffold with the cells, the seeding occurring within the sealed enclosure to protect from environmental contamination. The bioreactor system provides a means to supply fresh media to the cells and/or tissue, and a means to remove waste products.