Abstract
The Hydrodynamic Focusing Bioreactor (HDFB) developed by NASA at the Johnson Space Center provides a unique hydrofocusing capability that simultaneously enables a low-shear culture environment and a unique hydrofocusing-based “herding” of suspended cells, cell aggregates, and air bubbles. The HDFB is a rotating dome-shaped cell culture vessel with a centrally located sampling port and an internal rotating viscous spinner attached to a rotating base. The vessel and viscous spinner can rotate at different speeds and in either the same or different directions. Adjusting the differential rotation rate between the vessel and spinner results in a controllable hydrodynamic focusing force. The resultant hydrodynamic force suspends the cells in a low-shear fluid environment that supports the formation of delicate three-dimensional tissue assemblies. Both suspension and anchorage-dependent cells have been successfully cultured.
