Apparatus for the growth and packaging of three dimensional tissue cultures

An apparatus for three-dimensional tissue growth, comprising:

• a cassette defining a chamber for culturing tissue;
• a planar substrate disposed within said cassette designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said substrate;
• at least one inlet port for the inflow of media into said cassette;
• at least one outlet port for the outflow of media from said cassette;
• and
• a flow distributor disposed within said cassette for evenly distributing media flow through the cassette and generally parallel to the planar substrate as it flows from the inlet port to the outlet port, said flow distributor comprising a first and a second fluid distribution channel and a fluid flow channel;
• said fluid flow channel having a predetermined width, depth, and height;
• said first fluid distribution channel disposed proximate to said inlet port and communicating with the fluid flow channel, said first fluid distribution channel having a depth greater than the depth of the fluid flow channel such that media flowing from the inlet port first accumulates in the distribution channel to facilitate even distribution of fluid across the flow channel;
• and
• said second fluid distribution channel disposed proximate to said outlet port and communicating with the fluid flow channel.

An apparatus for three-dimensional tissue growth comprising:

• a cylindrically shaped casing;
• a spiral substrate disposed within said casing designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said substrate;
• at least one inlet port for the inflow of media into said casing;
• at least one outlet port for the outflow of media from said casing;
• and
• a flow distributor disposed within said casing for evenly distributing media across the substrate as the media flows from the inlet port to the outlet port.

An apparatus for three-dimensional tissue growth, comprising:

• a planar substrate designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said substrate;
• a housing having opposed inner surfaces for the growth of tissue thereon and defining
• a growth chamber comprising a flow channel therethrough having a predetermined width, depth and height, and
• a fluid distribution channel communicating with the flow channel, said distribution channel having a depth greater than the depth of the flow channel such that fluid first accumulates in the distribution channel to facilitate even distribution of fluid across the flow channel,
• said growth chamber configured and adapted to evenly distribute media flow through the housing and generally parallel to the planar substrate disposed therein;
• an outlet port communicating with the flow channel;
• and
• an inlet port for introducing fluid into the flow distribution channel.

A chamber for three-dimensional tissue growth comprising:

• a casing;
• a substrate disposed within said casing designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said substrate;
• at least one inlet port for the inflow of media into said casing;
• at least one outlet port for the outflow of media from said casing;
• and
• means for evenly distributing media flow across the casing and generally parallel to the substrate as it flows from the inlet port to the outlet port.

A chamber for three-dimensional tissue growth, comprising:

• a planar substrate designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said substrate, said substrate comprising a biocompatible three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• a casing with bottom, top, front, back and side walls defining a growth chamber configured and dimensioned to support the planar substrate parallel to said front and back walls, said casing defining the growth chamber with spacing sufficient to permit three-dimensional tissue growth;
• at least one inlet port disposed proximate to the bottom wall for inflow of media into said growth chamber;
• at least one outlet port disposed proximate to the top wall for outflow of media from said growth chamber;
• and
• a baffle disposed within said growth chamber and spaced a first predetermined distance from said bottom wall, said baffle being configured to distribute media from the inlet port substantially evenly across the growth chamber and generally parallel to the planar substrate as it flows to the outlet port.

A chamber for three-dimensional tissue growth comprising:

• a casing with bottom, top, front, back and side walls defining a growth chamber;
• a plurality of pins extending from said front and back walls;
• a substrate disposed within said casing designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue on the surface of said substrate, said pins preventing movement of said substrate within the casing;
• an inlet port for the inflow of media proximate to the bottom of said casing;
• an outlet port for the outflow of media proximate to the top of said casing;
• a first baffle disposed within said casing proximate to said inlet port shaped to distribute media from the inlet port across said casing and generally parallel to said substrate, said baffle including an extending block portion directly proximate to said inlet port;
• and
• a second baffle disposed within said casing proximate to said outlet port shaped to distribute media within the casing and generally parallel to said substrate, said baffle including an extending block portion directly proximate to said outlet port.

A chamber for three-dimensional tissue growth comprising:

• a casing defining a growth chamber of a size sufficient to permit three-dimensional tissue growth;
• a substrate disposed within said casing designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said substrate, said substrate comprising a three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• at least one inlet port for the inflow of media into said casing;
• at least one outlet port for the outflow of media from said casing;
• and
• means for evenly distributing media flow across the casing and generally parallel to the substrate as it flows from the inlet port to the outlet port.