A Dynamic Culture System

The following includes information regarding the design, construction, and initial testing of A Dynamic Cell Culture System. This project has been undertaken in order to provide the Wu Lab with a tool that will allow a method to more accurately simulate human vasculature for research purposes by applying pulsatile shear, tensile, and normal pressures. This is accomplished by utilizing upper and lower Chambers between which reside tissue scaffolds (composed of silk and elastin) which are seeded with cells. A high flow-rate pump is used to pass cell culture media over the scaffolds in order to create shear. Solenoid valves are used in conjunction with pressure sensors to cause pressure to build up in one Chamber, causing both normal and tensile stresses in the scaffolds. At this time, the system has been fully constructed and has undergone only initial testing, the results of which showed that more work on sealing the Chamber and tube connections is necessary