Porous Cell Substrate via Wettability and Temperature Gradients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cultivating cell-based-meat products struggle to replicate the textures and flavors of conventional meat, particularly in mimicking the complex, three-dimensional structures of shellfish like lobster, prawns, or scallops.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a mold with a surface exhibiting a wettability gradient and a temperature gradient to form a fibrous cell substrate. This process involves injecting a cell substrate solution into the mold, cooling it to create a temperature gradient, and then freeze-drying the solution to form a highly organized scaffold with a fibrous porous structure. Cells can be seeded onto this substrate to grow cell-based-meat products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional meat production methods are used, then the texture and structure of meat is naturally achieved, but harmful factors including animal welfare issues, environmental pollution, and resource depletion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling freezing temperature gradients and wettability conditions to transform the cell substrate solution into a structured fibrous network. By adjusting temperature parameters during freezing and using wettability gradients on the mold surface, the method achieves precise control over ice crystal formation, which subsequently creates the desired fibrous porous structure that mimics conventional meat texture without requiring actual animal tissue
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by freezing the cell substrate solution to form ice crystals, then freeze-drying to sublimate the ice and leave behind a porous fibrous structure. The controlled freezing process transforms liquid solution into solid ice crystals with specific morphology, and the subsequent sublimation phase transition removes the ice while preserving the fibrous network structure, achieving meat-like texture without animal products
2Manufacturing precision
If existing cell cultivation methods are used, then cell-based meat products can be produced, but the texture and structure fail to mimic conventional meat effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the fibrous porous scaffold structure through controlled freezing and freeze-drying before cell seeding. The mold surface is pre-treated with specific wettability characteristics, and the freezing process is pre-planned to create ice crystal patterns that will become the fibrous network. This preliminary structure formation simplifies subsequent cell cultivation by providing an ready-made architecture that guides cell growth and tissue formation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating spatial variations in wettability on the mold surface and establishing temperature gradients during freezing. The wettability gradient causes ice crystals to form preferentially in certain regions, creating localized fibrous structures with specific orientations. This local control over ice crystal formation and fibrous structure development enables replication of different meat textures in different regions of the final product
3Shape
If simple cell culture methods are used, then the production process is simple, but the resulting product lacks the complex three-dimensional structure of conventional meat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phase transitions during controlled freezing to spontaneously generate complex three-dimensional fibrous structures. By cooling the cell substrate solution at controlled rates with temperature gradients, ice crystals form and grow in three-dimensional patterns. The subsequent freeze-drying sublimation removes the ice while preserving these 3D crystal patterns as porous fibrous networks, creating complex structures without requiring complex 3D printing or scaffolding equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by allowing the cell substrate solution to self-organize into fibrous structures through controlled freezing. The system uses the inherent properties of water freezing and ice crystal growth to automatically form the desired fibrous porous network without requiring external manipulation or complex加工设备. The temperature gradient and wettability conditions guide the self-organization process, eliminating the need for complex device systems
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 resulting cell substrate provides a highly organized scaffold that supports the growth of cells, mimicking the texture and structure of conventional meat, particularly shellfish, more effectively than existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a mold with a surface exhibiting a wettability gradient and a temperature gradient to form a fibrous cell substrate
Implementation Method 2
create a temperature gradient that controls or facilitates the direction of crystal nucleation
Implementation Method 3
cooling it to create a temperature gradient
Implementation Method 4
freeze the cell substrate solution
Implementation Method 5
freeze drying the frozen cell substrate to sublimate the nucleated crystals
Implementation Method 6
sublimate the nucleated crystals
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes methods and apparatuses for creating or using a fibrous cell substrate that is formed in a mold using temperature and wettability gradients and that upon which cells can be grown. The disclosed method can include utilizing a temperature gradient and a wettability gradient within a mold to form a porous cell substrate. In particular, the temperature and wettability gradients control nucleation and growth of crystals within the cell substrate solution to form parallel layers of cell substrate. The crystals can be sublimated by freeze drying and the porous cell substrate is seeded. More specifically, the disclosed method includes using pressure and an increased cell mixture viscosity to seed cells deep within the cell substrate. This disclosure also describes an apparatus for forming the structured porous cell substrate.