A device for simulating a function of a tissue includes a first structure, a second structure, and a membrane. The first structure defines a first chamber. The first chamber includes a matrix disposed therein and an opened region. The second structure defines a second chamber. The membrane is located at an interface region between the first chamber and the second chamber. The membrane includes a first side facing toward the first chamber and a second side facing toward the second chamber. The membrane separates the first chamber from the second chamber.

Provided herein relates to devices for simulating a function of a tissue and methods of using the same. In some embodiments, the devices can be used to simulate a function of a human liver tissue. In some embodiments, the devices can be used to simulate a function of a dog liver tissue. Endothelial cell culture media for long-term culture of endothelial cells are also described herein.

A test vessel includes one or more test locations configured to contain a medium suitable for culturing a live substance. A thermochromic material is thermally coupled to the one or more test locations. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a spectral shift in light emanating from the thermochromic material in response to an increase or decrease in energy conversion by the live substance that causes a change in temperature of the thermochromic material.

A radial flow processing device includes a body with an inner chamber, a pair of inner and outer concentric tubes extending into the body, and a processing disk containing a central opening through which the inner tube extends, the disk being connected with the inner tube. The body has a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one side wall which define the inner chamber. The bottom wall, top wall, or both, contain at least one opening through which at least one tube extends. A diameter of the inner tube is less than a diameter of the outer tube such that there is a space between both tubes, and a diameter of the disk is less than a width of the body.

A bioreactor includes a reservoir container for holding a liquid medium, a duct providing a flowpath in a generally vertical direction upward from the reservoir container, a plurality of fiber assemblies located within the duct, a top of which is higher than a top of the plurality of fiber assemblies, and a circulation system. The upper end of the duct comprises an overflow wall surrounded by a moat, a bottom of which is lower than a top of the overflow wall. The upper end of the duct and moat contact a pocket region that is bounded by a structure that is connected to the duct and that is isolated from fluid communication with an exterior of the pocket region. The liquid medium flows over the overflow wall within the pocket region, contacts gas in the pocket region, overflows into the moat and is removed therefrom by the circulation system.

The present invention relates to methods allowing adherence and outgrowth of embryoid bodies (EBs) using macrocarriers. The methods of the invention are useful for an up-scaled production of myeloid cells, such as macrophage- and microglia-like/-precursor cells, in a bioreactor system. The invention further relates to microglia-like cells or microglial precursor cells obtainable by these methods that are cryopreservable. The invention also concerns a porous macrocarrier coated with a material facilitating cell adherence.

An anatomically-shaped, human bone graft may be cultivated ex vivo using a bioreactor capable of perfusing large complex porous scaffolds. Scaffolds derived from image-based modeling of a target are seeded with human mesenchymal stem cells and cultivated. A bioreactor configured to house complex three-dimensional scaffold geometries provides controlled flow for perfusion of the cells. Dense uniform cellular growth can be attained throughout the entire scaffold as a result of the medium perfusion. In an embodiment, the bioreactor has a mold into which perfusion medium is pumped under pressure and multiple ports through which the medium exits the mold.

The invention relates to a fully disposable system for casting, polymerizing and compressing a hydrogel. The invention further relates to a method for producing a scaffold for the generation of artificial tissue products using said disposable system.

A kappa-carrageenan (Kcar) granular hydrogel devoid of a cell-toxic crosslinking agent is provided as a scaffold for maintaining and implanting cellular structures such as lumens. The lumens may be defined by cells or surrounded by cells and may have the dimensions of a blood vessel.

The present disclosure provides a method of producing uniformly sized organoids/multicellular spheroids using a microfluidic device having an array of microwells. The method involves several successive steps. First, a microfluidic device containing parallel rows of microwells that are connected with a supplying channel is filled with a wetting agent. The wetting agent is a liquid that is immiscible in water. For example, the wetting agent may be an organic liquid such as oil. In the next step, the agent in the supplying channel and the microwells is replaced with a suspension of cells in an aqueous solution that contains a precursor for a hydrogel. Next, the aqueous phase in the supplying channel is replaced with the agent, which leads to the formation of an array of droplets of cell suspension in the hydrogel precursor solution, which were compartmentalized in the wells. The droplets are then transformed into cell-laden hydrogels. Subsequently, the agent in the supplying channel is replaced with the cell culture medium continuously flowing through the microfluidic device and the cells within the hydrogels are transformed into multicellular spheroids.