Evaluation of a Groove Bioreactor for Stem Cell Expansion: Effects of Inhibitory Signalling

Abstract

This computational fluid dynamics study investigates the distribution of inhibitory signals secreted from a stem cell population in a groove bioreactor. Two bioreactor configurations are considered, the first with a single groove of 400 μm, and the second with two grooves of 200 μm. For the second configuration, the effect of the distance between the upstream and downstream groove is also quantified. It is found that the flow past the larger groove is able to fully penetrate the groove, greatly reducing the concentration of inhibitory signalling within the groove. In contrast, the flow past the smaller grooves is only able to partially enter the groove, and a recirculation zone is set up, le..