Bioreactor Fluid Dynamics

Bioreactors are devices in which living cells or tissues are grown in a culture medium. In tissue-engineering applications, bioreactors provide an environment that serves three roles: i) provide nutrients to the tissue; ii) rid the vicinity of the tissue of metabolic wastes; and iii) provide a mechanical environment in which the three-dimensional tissue can thrive. Bioreactors perform these functions through a variety of means ranging from the use of rotating vessel walls, perfusion and compression/perfusion and mixing using a magnetic stirbar. A complete assessment of the outcomes of various tissue-growth strategies requires a detailed knowledge of the associated local flow fields within the bioreactors. This paper discusses several dynamic bioreactors used for the production of tissue-engineered cartilage.

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