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Computer Controlled Bioreactor for Large‐scale Production of Cultured Skin Grafts
Author(s) -
PRENOSIL J. E.,
KINOOKA M.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1999.tb08521.x
Subject(s) - bioreactor , keratinocyte , biomedical engineering , transplantation , modular design , cell culture , tissue engineering , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , computer science , surgery , biology , medicine , genetics , organic chemistry , operating system
KERATOR‐an automated membrane bioreactor‐was developed to produce Autologous Wound Dressing (AWD) at significantly reduced cost and time of transplantation down to two weeks time. At the same time, the risk of human error is largely eliminated. The computer‐controlled reactor is modular, allowing the production of up to 0.5 m 2 AWD at one time. A special feature of the reactor is a hydrophilic polymeric support membrane on which the human keratinocytes attach and proliferate. Recently developed serum‐free medium is used to culture keratinocytes as a monolayer without a feeder layer of murine fibroblasts. The use of composite skin grafts consisting of a subconfluent keratinocyte layer on a polymeric support film is a very promising method for skin transplantation owing to the high activity of non‐differentiated keratinocyte cells and reduction of the time needed to prepare the skin grafts. A microscopic video system with image analysis was developed for on‐line monitoring of the cell growth and morphology in the KERATOR. The computer uses the obtained information to control medium change and to predict the end of cultivation.