Introduction

All over the world are looking for systems capable of producing ex vivo platelet for the following reasons. The first reason is to understand the mechanisms that regulate the production of platelets in the bone marrow and the mechanisms that control the development process of megakaryocytes. These mechanisms are poorly understood that it is the main cause of the scarcity of clinical cures for diseases that affect platelets. Therefore are looking for a model capable of producing ex-vivo platelet to do transfusions, from hematopoietic cells of the human umbilical cord. Platelet transfusions are indeed very much used as a supportive therapy during radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Finally the platelets are also used for tissue repair and in surgery. To realize the scaffolds was resorted to the use of 3D printing: only system that allows you to recreate the desired geometry in a short time.

Idea

It was decided to build the scaffold with the 3D printer: the material used must be biocompatible and waterproof so it was decided to utilize the PDMS. This is located in the liquid state so it was necessary to realize the negative of the room and print it, thanks to Polyjet technology, in resin.

The scaffold obtained, after the crosslinking of the PDMS and the removal of the negative, is a valid result for the formation of platelets.

Goals

1. Building, thanks to the 3D printer, the scaffold negative

2. Clarify the complex phenomenon of the formation of platelets

3. Maximize the number of platelets produced by a megakaryocyte

4. Create a repeatable and scalable model

Tests and Results

The tests were done inserting into the scaffold the silk sponge, in which they were sown of megakaryocytes, and once the system is perfused platelets are collected.

The platelets obtained from the bioreactor were analyzed by cytometry and were compared with platelets obtained from human peripheral blood. No particular differences were found: in fact applying the system a slow flow are not detected many megakaryocytes in the output stream.

References

Collaborations