Premium
Modeling evaluation of the fluid‐dynamic microenvironment in tissue‐engineered constructs: A micro‐CT based model
Author(s) -
Cioffi Margherita,
Boschetti Federica,
Raimondi Manuela Teresa,
Dubini Gabriele
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.20740
Subject(s) - scaffold , biomedical engineering , cartilage , shear stress , tissue engineering , materials science , fluid dynamics , chondrogenesis , matrix (chemical analysis) , chemistry , mechanics , composite material , anatomy , engineering , medicine , physics
Natural cartilage remodels both in vivo and in vitro in response to mechanical stresses, hence mechanical stimulation is believed to be a potential tool to modulate extra‐cellular matrix synthesis in tissue‐engineered cartilage. Fluid‐induced shear is known to enhance chondrogenesis in engineered cartilage constructs. The quantification of the hydrodynamic environment is a condition required to study the biochemical response to shear of 3D engineered cell systems. We developed a computational model of culture medium flow through the microstructure of a porous scaffold, during direct‐ perfused culture. The 3D solid model of the scaffold micro‐geometry was reconstructed from 250 micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) images. The results of the fluid dynamic simulations were analyzed at the central portions of the fluid domain, to avoid boundary effects. The average, median and mode shear stress values calculated at the scaffold walls were 3.48, 2.90, and 2.45 mPa respectively, at a flow rate of 0.5 cm 3 /min, perfused through a 15 mm diameter scaffold, at an inlet fluid velocity of 53 µm/s. These results were compared to results estimated using a simplified micro‐scale model and to results estimated using an analytical macro‐scale porous model. The predictions given by the CT‐based model are being used in conjunction with an experimental bioreactor model, in order to quantify the effects of fluid‐dynamic shear on the growth modulation of tissue‐engineered cartilage constructs, to potentially enhance tissue growth in vitro. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.