Computational Modeling of Cell Growth Heterogeneity in a Perfused 3D Scaffold

Our goal was to develop a computational Model describing the spatiotemporal evolution of cell heterogeneity within a three-dimensional Porous Scaffold during cell growth in a perfusion bioreactor. The scaffold was assumed formed by an ensemble of independent parallel cylindrical channels with a defined diameter distribution. The total flow rate partitioning in each channel depends oil the effective diameter, which is reduced by the cell growth oil the channel wall. The mass balance for one metabolite and the cell volume balance were solved. For each channel diameter, file model simulation provide the spatiotemporal evolution of velocity, shear stress, metabolite concentration, and cell Volume growth. In particular, all of these outcomes can be analyzed as a function of channel diameter providing ail evaluation of cell property heterogeneity. The model describes that the cell growth can be Substantially different in each channel diameter. For instance, in file small diameter channel, cell growth is limited by metabolite mass transport, whereas in the larger diameter channel, shear stress inhibits cell growth. This mathematical model Could be an important tool for a priori estimation of the time variation of the cell volume fraction and its degree of heterogeneity as a function of operational parameters and scaffold pore size distribution.