Experimental measurements and CFD modelling of hydroxyapatite scaffolds in perfusion bioreactors for bone regeneration.

In the field of bone tissue engineering, particular interest is devoted to the development of 3D cultures to study bone cell proliferation under conditions similar to ones, e.g. by artificially producing mechanical stresses promoting a biological response (mechanotransduction).

Liquid flow in scaffold derived from natural source: experimental observations and biological outcome.

This study investigates the biological effects on a 3D scaffold based on hydroxyapatite cultured with MC3T3 osteoblasts in response to flow-induced shear stress (FSS). The scaffold adopted here (B-HA) derives from the biomorphic transformation of natural wood and its peculiar channel geometry mimics the porous structure of the bone. From the point of view of fluid dynamics, B-HA can be considered a network of micro-channels, intrinsically offering the advantages of a microfluidic system.