Self-enclosed bioreactor for vascularized tissue constructs

A bioreactor comprising:

• a body defining a tissue culture chamber;
• at least one inlet port through the body into the tissue culture chamber;
• an inlet port member located in each inlet port, each inlet port member including an inlet tube extending into the tissue culture chamber;
• at least one outlet port through the body into the tissue culture chamber;
• an outlet port member located in each outlet port, each outlet port member including an outlet tube extending into the tissue culture chamber;
• an optical cover coupled with the body to define a wall of the primary chamber cavity of the tissue culture chamber, wherein the optical cover is optically transmissive;
• and
• a hydrogel in the tissue culture chamber having at least one lumen fluidly coupling the inlet tube to the outlet tube, wherein an inlet interface region of the hydrogel is constrained around the inlet tube and an outlet interface region of the hydrogel is constrained around the outlet tube.