Three dimensional cell culture system using diffusion effect of cytokines

Abstract

Tissue engineering therapy, culturing cells in three-dimensional condition to replace damaged tissue, is the promising treatment. In the present technology, homogeneous tissues such as cartilage, skin, and blood vessel could be reconstructed by culturing the cells on three-dimensional scaffolds, whereas more complex tissue and organ (liver, heart, etc.) could not be regenerated. To regenerate complex tissue or organ requires a control of cellular organization and chemical and physical stimulus. In this study, we developed a three-dimensional cell culture device utilizing the diffusion phenomena of cytokines to reconstruct an anisotropic tissue. Using our novel culture device, the mouse skin cell-seeded collagen gels were placed in the interface of two kinds of culture medium and cultured in the concentration gradient of growth factor. The effect of concentration gradient on the tissue regeneration was evaluated.