醫學的進步和發展往往和科技的進步有著不可分割的關係，近代發展的新領域-組織工程，就是希望可以於體外培養的方式，置換我們體內失去功能或是受損的器官及組織，其中生物反應器在組織工程中更是不可或缺的裝置，除了提供細胞基本生存所需的環境之外，還可模擬細胞生長時的環境，或是提供不同的機械刺激調控細胞的基因表現或是分化路徑。 本研究是以圓錐平板黏度計的原理為範本，並依據許多學者數值計算的結果為基礎，設計且製作出，可於體外培養細胞並可針對所需定量提供剪應力刺激的生物反應器，最後再利用此生物反應器，並以老鼠骨髓幹細胞為對象分別提供0、0.8、1.2、1.6 Pa的剪應力刺激4小時，以探討老鼠骨髓幹細胞受剪應力後細胞形狀及增生速率的改變。結果發現，施加不同的剪應力刺激老鼠骨髓幹細胞，細胞的形狀和細胞增生速率都不隨著剪應力增加而和靜態有所不同。 系統經過測試，證明此生物反應器為一穩定且可提供寬廣剪應力範圍之裝置，未來更可以利用此系統提供不同的刺激條件，以提供組織工程領域相關研究發展。 The progress and development of medical science has an inseparable relation with technology. The new frontier in latest development - tissue engineering, is a technology using cell-scaffold constructs developed in vitro to replace injury or function losing organs and tissues. Bioreactors are an indispensable device for the development of tissue engineering. They provide not only basic living environments for cells, but also mock up the environments for functional tissues to form. Besides, bioreactors may also be used to apply various different mechanical stimuli to control cells’ gene expression or differential pathway. In this study, a bioreactor which can be used to culture cells in vitro and provide quantitative shear stress has been designed. The model of the design is based on the regulation of the cone and plate viscometer, and the stress values are computed using the experiential formula proposed in previous literature. The in-house bioreactor was used to provide four hours of shear stress in a day in 0, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 Pa respectively to stimulate the rat bone marrow stem cells. Results show when different shear stresses were applied, the cell shape and proliferation rate were not changing obviously comparing to the case of no shear imposed. This study demonstrates that the bioreactor constructed in house can be a stable device providing broaden shear stresses. With this devices, further tests on the cell responses to the shear stimulation can be conducted for tissue engineering applications.
