This study describes methods for fabricating, culturing, and characterizing modular microbeads containing progenitor cells that can be used to create osteochondral tissue constructs. Such biphasic engineered tissues were cultured in a low flow rate perfusion bioreactor chamber to maintain tissue-specific differentiation while allowing development of the osteochondral interface.
Keywords: 3D cell culture; bioreactor; cartilage; hydrogels; mesenchymal stem cell; modular tissue engineering; osteochondral.