In-vitro liver model using microfabricated scaffolds in a modular bioreactor

Bruna Vinci (1) , Daniela Cavallone (2) , Giovanni Vozzi (3) , Claudio Domenici (4) , Maurizia Brunetto (2) , Arti Ahluwalia (5)

1 Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Pisa,
2 Epatologia
3 Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca
4 Institute of Clinical Physiology
5 Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca

Hepatocyte function on three-dimensional microfabricated polymer scaffolds realised with the Pressure Activated Microsyringe (PAM) was tested in static and dynamic conditions. The dynamic cell culture was obtained using the MCmB (MultiCompartment modular Bioreactor) system. Hepatocyte cell density, glucose consumption, and albumin secretion rate were measured daily over a week. Cells seeded on scaffolds showed an increase in cell density compared with monolayer controls. Moreover, in dynamic culture, cell metabolic function increased three times in comparison with static monolayer cultures. These results suggest that cell density and cell-cell interactions are mediated by the architecture of the substrate, while the endogenous biochemical functions are regulated by a sustainable supply of nutrients and interstitial-like flow. Thus a combination of three-dimensional scaffolds and dynamic flow conditions are both important for the development of a hepatic tissue model for applications in drug testing and regenerative medicine.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Bruna Vinci, Daniela Cavallone, Giovanni Vozzi, Claudio Domenici, Maurizia Brunetto, et al.. In-vitro liver model using microfabricated scaffolds in a modular bioreactor. Biotechnology Journal, 2009, 5 (2), pp.232. ⟨10.1002/biot.200900074⟩. ⟨hal-00525500⟩