Enhancing cell seeding of scaffolds in tissue engineering through manipulation of hydrodynamic parameters

• Published in: Journal of biotechnology Vol. 129; no. 3; pp. 516 - 531
• Main Authors: Bueno, Ericka M., Laevsky, Gary, Barabino, Gilda A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.05.2007; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Bioreactor hydrodynamics; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Cattle; Cell Count; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Cell Proliferation; Cell seeding; Cells, Cultured; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Scaffolds; Tissue engineering; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue engineering; Scaffolds; Cell seeding; Bioreactor hydrodynamics; Hydrodynamics; Bioreactor
• ISSN: 0168-1656; 1873-4863
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2007.01.005

The seeding of cells onto biocompatible scaffolds is a determinant step in the attainment of functional properties of engineered tissues. Efficient, fast and spatially uniform cell seeding can improve the clinical potential of engineered tissue templates. One way to approach these cell seeding requirements is through bioreactor design. In the present study, bovine chondrocytes were seeded (2.5, 5.0 or 10.0million cells per scaffold) onto polyglycolic acid scaffolds within the hydrodynamic environments of wavy-walled and spinner flask bioreactors. Previous characterizations of the hydrodynamic environment in the vicinity of constructs cultivated in these bioreactors suggested decreased flow-induced shear stress as well as increased recirculation and magnitude of the axial fluid velocities in the wavy-walled bioreactor. Here we report more efficient and spatially uniform cell seeding in the wavy-walled bioreactor, and at intermediate initial cell densities (5million cells per scaffold). This study constitutes an important step towards the achievement of functional tissue-engineered implants by (i) increasing our understanding of the influence of hydrodynamic parameters on the efficiency and spatial distribution of cell attachment to scaffolds and the production of extracellular matrix and (ii) introducing a comprehensive approach to the investigation of the effects of bioprocessing conditions on tissue morphology and composition.