Device Innovation for Enhanced Nutrient Delivery for 3D Tissue Culture

Abstract

Tissue culture and engineering have emerged as a significant area of research in science and medicine. Engineered three-dimensional (3D) tissue products have the potential to enhance regenerative medicine, disease modeling, drug testing, and the understanding of fundamental biological processes. There is an increased need for improved methods of 3D tissue culture. In particular for the application of developing gastruloids. Gastruloids are 3D aggregates of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that form structures that mimic early mammalian development. They are created by forming Aggregates from small numbers of ESCs and are used to provide in vitro models for studying early stages of embryonic development such as the gastrulation stage. In this stage, cells undergo complex rearrangements and differentiations that give rise to various tissues and organs in the developing embryo. Studies using gastruloids are expected to provide valuable insight into the molecular and cellular events during gastrulation. There are current approaches to extending the in vitro culture of synthetic embryos, similar to gastruloids, that utilize dynamic culture and controlled atmospheric conditions. These approaches often use Expensive bioreactors. This project focuses on exploring more affordable methods to create a device that replicates a bioreactor by providing a dynamic culture, with the potential to also be adapted to allow for gas control.