A bypass is a complicated structure. It is either made of synthetic materials that can cause blood clots and infections or created by using the patient’s veins. However, the latter often does not yield adequate material. A newly developed bioreactor could solve this problem in the future. It is designed to tissue engineer vascular grafts by using the body’s own material.
In this interview with MEDICA-tradefair.com, Prof. Cornelia Blume talks about the right formula to cultivate vascular grafts in a rotating bioreactor, describes the measurement technique this requires and explains the role stem cells play in this process.
Prof. Blume, along with your team you have developed a bioreactor to cultivate vascular grafts. What does this device look like?
Prof. Cornelia Blume: The centerpiece of the reactor is a small tube, in which a one by eight centimeter sized vessel can be cultivated. The housing rotates to ensure an even distribution and growth of cells. Tubing and pump systems are connected to the housing, allowing us to simulate the body's cardiovascular blood flow within the vessel. We can run a second circuit outside the vascular graft, which simulates the tissue pressure in the human body. ...
Read the complete interview with Prof. Cornelia Blume at MEDICA-tradefair.com!