1. Double Flow Bioreactor for In Vitro Test of Drug Delivery
- Author
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Silvia Greco, Valerio Brucato, Francesco Carfì Pavia, Giulio Ghersi, Vincenzo La Carrubba, Francesco Carfi, P., La Carrubba, V., Ghersi, G., Greco, S., Brucato, V., Carfì Pavia, F., and Conoscenti, G.
- Subjects
Scaffold ,Materials science ,In vitro test ,Pharmaceutical Preparation ,Polymers ,Surface Properties ,Surface Propertie ,Bioreactor ,Phase separation ,Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ,Vascular tissue engineering ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Nanotechnology ,02 engineering and technology ,010402 general chemistry ,01 natural sciences ,Fluid dynamic ,Bioreactors ,Drug Delivery Systems ,Humans ,Particle Size ,Polymer ,Porosity ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Fluid dynamic, Vascular Tissue Engineering ,Medicine (all) ,Equipment Design ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,0104 chemical sciences ,Shear stre ,chemistry ,Pharmaceutical Preparations ,Poly-L-lactic acid ,Drug delivery ,Particle size ,0210 nano-technology ,Drug Delivery System ,Human ,Lumen (unit) ,Biomedical engineering - Abstract
In this work, double-structured polymeric scaffolds were produced, and a double flow bioreactor was designed and set up in order to create a novel system to carry out advanced in vitro drug delivery tests. The scaffolds, consisting of a cylindrical porous matrix, are able to host cells, thus mimicking a three-dimensional tumor mass: moreover, a âpseudo-vascularâ structure was embedded into the matrix, with the aim of allowing a flow circulation. The structure that emulates a blood vessel is a porous tubular-shaped scaffold prepared by Diffusion Induced Phase Separation (DIPS), with an internal lumen of 2 mm and a wall thickness of 200 micrometers. The as-prepared vessel was incorporated into a three-dimensional matrix, prepared by Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS), characterized by a high porosity (about 95%) and pore size adequate to accommodate tumor cells and/or mesenchymal cells. The morphology of the multifunctional scaffolds is easy-tunable in terms of pore size, porosity and thickness and therefore adaptable to various cell or tissue types. At the same time, a double flow bioreactor was designed and built up, in order to be able to carry out biological tests on the scaffold under dynamic conditions. The device allows a separate control of the two flows (one for the tubular scaffold, one for the porous matrix) through the scaffolds. Preliminary characterizations and tests carried out suggest the presented system as a candidate to suitably âin vitroâ assess the effects of different drugs on various cell populations.
- Published
- 2015