Flow Through Ceramic Foams – A Future Cell Culture Challenge

Abstract

Nutrient supply throughout a three-dimensional porous scaffold is a crucial parameter for cell cultivation in perfused bioreactor systems. Cell density and growth patterns strongly depend on (i) the matrix's flow structures. This is mainly determined by pore openings consolidated during the fabrication process but it can also be imprinted afterwards, e.g. by drilling channels into the matrix. Moreover, cell density and growth depend on (ii) flow velocity through the structure. Highly porous ceramic scaffolds, 10 mm in diameter and 10 mm thick were seeded with CHO-K1 cells in a perfusion bioreactor system that has been developed in our group. Un-processed scaffolds clearly showed abundance of cells throughout the whole material. Channel drilling into the ceramic promoted the growth of cells into the channels, but mainly on the channel walls when cultivated only for seven days. Regarding flow velocities, v= 0.09 mlmin(-1)cm(-2) yielded good results for drilled scaffolds concerning cellular proliferation and distribution throughout the channels.