Bicompartmental device for dynamic cell coculture: design, realisation and preliminary results.

Low-shear perfusion and compartmental systems are very important conceptual designs for the realization of high-density cell cultures and cocultures, thus allowing very realistic models and therefore reliable results. In this work, we combines low-shear perfusion and multi-compartments in one device. We also describe the design, fabrication and validation of a bicompartmental, low-perfusion culture chamber specifically designed for applications in various fields, such as tissue engineering, pharmacology, molecular biology, pharmacokinetics, nanomedicine, and drug delivery testing. The device properties in terms of flow features and metabolite exchange capabilities are fully characterized. In vitro tests performed on cell lines confirm the effectiveness of the device as an experimental tool for measurements in dynamic and multiple-cell cultures and cocultures.