Development of a Perfusion Flow Bioreactor System for Culturing Human Alveolar Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Abstract

We have developed and evaluated a novel perfusion flow bioreactor system which facilitates the observation of living cells for extended periods of time. Cell viability showed that cell growth rate cultured (without medium perfusion) using the novel flow perfusion chamber system revealed a similar trend (p>0.05) compared to that of static culture. Also, the cell viability under the static culture (without perfusion) and flow perfusion culture (flow rate: 0.03 ml/min) with the developed perfusion bioreactor system was compared. The cell growth rate of the flow perfusion culture was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of static culture for 4 days. The cell growth rate was efficiently increased to about 10-15% with the precision perfusion culture. These results indicate that a bioreactor system that can provide mechanical signals has important applications. Additionally, the developed cell culture chamber system has been Successfully used to maintain and record the morphology of cultured alveolar bone marrow stem cells. It was possible to monitor and capture the live cell morphology cultured in the perfusion bioreactor. The characteristics of the bioreactor developed in this study was fast to culture stem cells with mechanical stimulation and to monitor live cell imaging while promoting healthy cellular activity outside of an incubator environment. Through experimental results, the developed perfusion bioreactor could increase cell growth with proper flow based on mechanical stimuli.