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Bioreactors: Enabling Technologies for Clinical Translation
Author(s) -
Knot Harm Johan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.389.3
Subject(s) - bioreactor , tissue engineering , regenerative medicine , process (computing) , in vivo , biochemical engineering , biomedical engineering , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , chemistry , engineering , biology , organic chemistry , operating system
Bioreactors may be defined as devices used for the creation, development of engineered organs or tissues. With respect to the tissue engineering process per se bioreactors mimic/recreate important features/characteristics that the engineered organ or tissue of interest would be exposed to in the body. It can be used to mature or develop a tissue outside the human body, for subsequent implantation in vivo. The concept is to apply in vitro preconditioning in order to accelerate tissue formation/maturation/function in vivo. Bioreactors are thus recognized as an important enabling technology for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The rationale is that more complete tissue engineering on the “front end” will place fewer demands on the body's regenerative capacity in vivo. Bioreactors may also be utilized for preservation, storage or transportation of engineered tissues/organs. For example, bioreactors can provide the delivery mechanism for storage and transportation to the end user in order to store, transport and deliver the clinical product to the physician/surgeon for implantation.