Novel Quantitative Technology for Tissue Engineering

了解细胞周围的机械电化学信号和组织内的溶质转运对于了解体内或体外的细胞生物学、组织生长和重塑至关重要。生物反应器是体外组织工程的关键，因为组织工程构建体的环境可以控制。如果组织的环境和组织特性是已知的，则计算机模拟可用于估计和预测组织或组织构造内的物理信号。然而，实际上没有能够在线表征工程组织的机械电化学性质或控制组织内的物理信号的技术。拟议的研究活动将填补这一领域的差距。本研究的长期目标是（1）体外工程化功能组织以用于体内植入，以及（2）了解机械化学环境与组织生长之间的关系（即，生长规律）用于结缔组织（例如”椎间盘“）。本项目的目标是开发新型生物反应器技术，该技术可以在线监测生物反应器中组织生长时组织特性的变化。在本计画中，将设计并制作一个新的生物反应器系统。将开发用于表征工程组织的机械电化学特性的新方法和技术。

Knowledge of the mechano-electrochemical signals around the cells and solute transport within a tissue is crucial to understanding cell biology, tissue growth and remodeling in vivo or in vitro. Bioreactors are essential for tissue engineering in vitro as the environment of engineered tissue construct could be controlled. Computer simulations are useful for estimation and prediction of the physical signals within the tissue or tissue construct if the environment of the tissue and the tissue properties are known. However, there is virtually no technology which is capable of online characterizing mechano-electrochemical properties of engineered tissue, or controlling physical signals within the tissue. The proposed research activities will fill the gap in this area. The longterm goals of this study are (1) to engineer functional tissues in vitro for implantation in vivo, and (2) to understand the relationship between mechano-chemical environment and tissue growth (Le., growth laws) for connective (e,g" intervertebral disc) tissues. The objective of this proposed project is to develop novel, bioreactor technology that could online monitor the changes in tissue properties as tissue growth in the bioreactor. In this project, a new bioreactor system will be designed and fabricated. New methods and techniques for characterizing of mechano-electrochemical properties of the engineered tissue will be developed.