Oscillating Fluid Flow through 3d Scaffolds Enhances Cell Seeding Efficiency Anduniformity

Introduction. A critical step for the in vitro engineering of a threedimensional tissue is to initially achieve a uniform distribution of cells seeded throughout the entire scaffold. Furthermore, if autologous cells are to be used in a clinical application, cells isolated from a small biopsy must be utilized with maximum efficiency. To overcome limitations associated with the most commonly employed techniques, e.g., static and spinner flask seeding, a bioreactor was developed capable of perfusing a cell suspension through the pores of scaffolds in oscillating directions. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that cell seeding by perfusion through the scaffolds in alternating directions could improve the efficiency and uniformity of seeding as compared to conventional seeding methods.