Development of a User-Friendly Dynamic Culture System for Decellularized Scaffold-Based Tissue Engineering

Background: The engineering of large-scale tissues is frequently hampered by complex, inefficient perfusion bioreactors and the inherent diffusion limits of static culture. To overcome these operational and biological barriers, we developed and validated a novel, user-friendly dynamic culture platform. Methods: Our miniaturized platform seamlessly integrates a peristaltic pump, an oxygenator, and perfusion circuits into a single, easy-to-assemble unit with smart control. We demonstrated its efficacy by culturing AML12 hepatocytes on decellularized rat liver scaffolds for 7 days and comparing its performance against static culture controls. Results: Dynamic culture dramatically enhanced cell viability and functional maturity. Compared to static controls, constructs cultured in our platform exhibited a > 5-fold increase in proliferating (Ki67+) cells and a 32-fold decrease in apoptotic (TUNEL+) cells. Hepatic functions were also significantly enhanced, with increased urea production and markedly higher expression of albumin (∼1.5-fold) and the key metabolic enzymes UGT1 (∼1.4-fold) and CYP2D6 (∼2.7-fold). Conclusion: Our integrated dynamic culture platform provides a simple, reliable, and effective solution for constructing large, viable 3D tissue constructs. By overcoming critical usability and mass transport challenges, this platform represents a powerful and scalable tool for advancing tissue engineering applications, from regenerative medicine to disease modeling.