When STRO-1A cells had reached confluence, they were detached with trypsin-ethylenediamine leave a message tetra-acetic acid (trypsin-EDTA, Sigma-Aldrich T4049), counted and re-suspended in culture medium (Iscove��s medium (Sigma-Aldrich I3390) with L-glutamine (Sigma-Aldrich G7513) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (VWR BWSTS1810/100), 100 U/mL penicillin G (Sigma-Aldrich P3032), 100 ��g/mL streptomycin sulfate (Sigma-Aldrich S9137) and 10?8 M dexamethasone (Sigma-Aldrich D4902). Inoculation of scaffolds and static culture The sterilised scaffolds were rehydrated with complete cell culture medium for 24 h before cell culture. After this period, STRO-1A cells were seeded onto the porous scaffolds by adding 50 ��L of cell suspension media to scaffolds (seeding density 5 �� 105 cells/scaffold), placed in 24-well culture plates and incubated for 30 min in an incubator.
Thereafter, 2 mL of Iscove��s medium was slowly added to each well and STRO-1A cells were incubated in a humidified atmosphere at 37��C and 5% CO2 for 24 h (to allow the initial cellular attachment on the scaffolds). The inoculated scaffolds were further cultured under static condition for 24 h and 3, 7, 14 and 21 d in a humidified incubator at 37��C and 5% CO2. The medium was renewed three times per week. Dynamic cultures The dynamic culture condition was applied within perfusion bioreactors supplied by Minucells and Minutissue? (Bad Abbach, ref. 1307). This perfusion system, which allows perfusion of up to six scaffolds in parallel depending on their size, is connected to an open circuit meaning that the container is connected to a medium bottle (input) and to a waste reservoir (output) by gas-permeable silicon tubes.
The STRO-1A cells seeded on the HA-Col scaffolds were maintained for 24 h in static condition to allow total cell adhesion. Then, samples were placed in the perfusion container within which they were separated by support rings and cultured for 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 d at a temperature of 37��C and a carbon dioxide concentration of 5%. Only three samples were put in each bioreactor considering their size and to reduce the risk of hypoxia. Two constant flow perfusion rates at 0.03 (2) and 0.3 mL/min (20 mL/h)�Dlow and high flow-rate respectively�Dwere applied (Fig. 8A). For the low flow, the open circuit was maintained although it was closed for the high flow due to medium cost (Fig.
8B,C). In the low-flow condition, 250 mL of medium circulated in the bioreactor and was renewed every three/four days while in the high-flow condition, 250 mL of medium circulated in the bioreactor and was renewed every seven days. Cultures were maintained for up to 21 d. Figure 8. Schematic GSK-3 diagram of three HA-Col scaffolds submitted to two dynamic environments within the perfusion bioreactor (A). Scheme of the open circuit with low flow-rate (0.03 mL/min); (B) and the closed circuit with high flow-rate (0.3 mL/min); …