Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find some of the most frequently asked questions about the TC-3 bioreactor and its chambers.

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TC-3 Actuation system FAQ

  • Can the TC-3 control the force which is applied on the sample? +

    No. The TC-3 is not capable of controlling the force which is applied on the sample. Only the displacement can be controlled by the actuation system.

  • Can the TC-3 measure the force which is applied on the sample? +

    No. The actuation system does not count on the resources to measure the force exerted on the cultured sample.

  • What is the minimal displacement increment which can be applied? +

    The minimal displacement increment which can be applied is 5 microns (0.005 mm).

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  • What is the maximal force the system can exert? +

    The actuation system can exert force up to 200 Newton. Thus, the maximal for on a single sample would be 200 N when only a chamber is in the system. It two or three chambers are being used simultaneously the applied force is shared by the all the samples. Hence, assuming that all the samples bear the same load, 100 and around 67 N would be applied on each chamber when 2 and 3 chambers are used in the system, respectively.

  • Can the actuation system be autoclaved? +

    No, and there is no need of sterilizing it since it is not going to contact the culture media at any time.

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TC-3 Chambers FAQ

  • Can the chamber be autoclaved? +

    Yes, all the chamber components can be autoclaved.

  • Should the chamber be dissasembled for autoclaving? +

    It is not strictly necessary to autoclave each of the chamber components separately. Although this might improve the effectiveness of the process, it is recommended to assemble the chamber except the lid before autoclaving in order to facilitate the sample insertion process. 

     

  • Which kind of microscope should be used to inspect the samples? +

    The window for visual inspection of the chambers is at the bottom of the chamber, so an inverted microscope is indicated for the inspection.

  • Which kind of samples can be inspected under the microscope? +

    The glass window at the bottom of the chamber can be used to inspect the samples which is being culture without the need of removing it from the chamber.

    However, only the samples which are thin enough to permit the light to go through will be feasible to be inspected under the microscope. Also the distance from the sample to the bottom window will determine whether the microscope inspection will be effective or not.

    Having all these considerations in mind, the optimal configuration to allow visually inspecting the sample from the bottom glass window is combining a thin, plane substrate with the sheet-like grips, which maintain the sample next to the glass window.

     

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TC-3 Grips FAQ

  • Can I use two different types of grips simultaneously? +

    In principle there is not any restriction which helps two different grips to be used at the same time. However, it may be rather difficult to configure the system like that, so it is adviced to use the same grips when two or three chambers are used at the same time.

  • Which types of samples are the compression grips indicated for? +

    The compression grips were designed to apply compression loads and, therefore, they should be used with scaffolds and tissues in which compression is the dominant load like, e.g., bone and cartilage.

     

  • Which types of samples are the rod-like grips indicated for? +

    These grips have been designed to apply tension loads on the samples, as well as the sheet-like grips. However, these grips have been conceived to be used with samples which present a medium or high mechanical resistance and whose geometry is not plane.

    Scaffolds or samples which may be used with these grips are ligaments or tendons, which have a cylindrical-shaped section, or other tissues with thick sections.

  • Which types of samples are the sheet-like grips indicated for? +

    These grips have been designed to apply tension loads on the samples, as well as the rod-like grips. However, these grips have been conceived to be used with planar samples like sheet-shaped tissues or membranes (e.g., skin).

    Moreover, it is worth noting that these grips maintain the sample very close to the bottom glass window so the visual inspection is made possible.

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