Scaffolding

Solutions Database

Computational models of perfusion flow through scaffolds

For tissue-structured cultivated meat production, the transition from the proliferation phase to differentiation phase may involve seeding cells onto a prefabricated scaffold within a perfusion bioreactor. Medium is then perfused through the cell-laden scaffold, providing nutrients and oxygen as cells differentiate and mature. Computational models are needed to describe fluid flow through scaffolds to better understand mass transfer and shear forces. These models will inform considerations for scaffold materials, geometries, dimensions, fabrication methods, and bioprocess design as well as considerations for the composition and viscosity of the medium.

Solutions Database

3D microenvironments for cell expansion

Proliferation and high-density cell growth are fundamentally important to scaling cultivated meat production. Recent demonstrations of stem cell expansion in 3D microenvironments such as encapsulated spheres or tubules can generate cell densities far higher than industry-leading stirred tank bioreactors with minimal loss of cell viability or stemness. As a scalable platform, the use of 3D microenvironments for stem cell expansion and differentiation—particularly with the relevant cell types used in cultivated meat—warrants further investigation.