Bioreactors and Tissue Engineering for the realization of a dynamic in-vitro model of glucose metabolism

The optimization of the MCmB was divided in several phases: • Selection of the different cell types that can be used inside the MCmB and that present the best characteristics to mimic the conditions investigated and pathways of human metabolism • Development of a model of hepatic culture that allows creation of an in vitro engineered three dimensional liver-like micro-environment optimized for use in the bioreactor (In collaboration with Drs Brunetto M., PhD; Gastroenterology- Hepatology research laboratories, S. Chiara Hospital, Pisa) • Determination of optimum cell numbers for each selected cell type in order to reproduce the same condition and ratios between the different cell types present inside the human body, and scaling these quantities using allometric lows • Identification of a composite medium to use for all cell types in the MCmB • Development of an initial mono-compartmental model inside the bioreactor (dynamic conditions) for every cell type • Development of a three-compartmental connected-culture model (in dynamic conditions) and study in comparison with the same connected-culture lacking in liver tissue • Study of the influence of increased glucose level on metabolic markers in the MCmB in order to simulate human hyperglycemia (In collaboration with Prof Avogaro A., PhD; Clinic and Experimental Medicine research laboratories, University of Padova)