Construction of an Artificial Liver Support System Based on a Reciprocating Rotating Bioreactor

A novel reciprocating rotating bioreactor is proposed. Through the control of the rate and direction of the reciprocating rotation of the bioreactor as well as the direction of the fluid flow, the hepatocytes are constantly maintained in a microgravity status and suffer less shearing stress. Such a bioreactor is advantageous for the 3-dimensional growth of the hepatocytes and may hold no less than 500 grams of hepatocytes. A novel hybrid bioartificial liver support system is constructed based on the bioreactor. Oxygen is supplied efficiently to the reactor using gas dispersion and an ideal environment for the hepatocytes is created via closed-loop control of parameters of the fluid in the reactor, such as the temperature, pH, PO₂ and PCO₂. The system enables the function of blood purification of the non-bioartificial liver and the function as the bioartificial liver for suspension culturing of hepatocytes.