Perfusion–compression bioreactor as the optimum choice for growing large-sized engineered bone constructs in vitro

Developing large-sized engineered bone constructs (LEBCs) become nowadays a great challenge of tissue engineering due to the internal cell necrosis in the cultured constructs. Mechanical loadings in bioreactors have improved the development of engineered constructs. We hypothesize that perfusion–compression bioreactor will achieve the growth of LEBCs in vitro. At the early stage of construction, the LEBCs in vitro develop without internal limitations in constructs in the bioreactor. At the after-mineralization stage of construction, the bioreactor provides specific conditions for remaining osteocytes buried within mineralized matrix normal viability by the compression-induced fluid flows in the lacuno-canalicular cavities and mechanical stimuli within constructs. Moreover, the LEBCs in vitro achieve the functional development similar to modeling adaptation of bone in vivo. Therefore, the perfusion–compression bioreactor may be the optimum choice for constructing the LEBCs in vitro.