Bioengineered Vascular Reactor for Vasculitis Research Applications

Introduction: : Vascular inflammation, as observed in vasculitis, disrupts normal hemodynamics and can lead to life-threatening outcomes. Conventional laboratory models often fall short in reproducing the complex biomechanical forces acting within inflamed arteries. This research introduces an advanced bioreactor-based simulation aimed at more accurately replicating pathological blood vessel conditions to better understand disease progression and therapeutic targets [1, 2].

Materials and

Methods: : Using Ansys (CFX) software, a cylindrical artery model was created to simulate inflamed vascular regions. The model integrated physiologically relevant flow rates and inflammatory parameters to mirror vasculitis-specific conditions. By incorporating recent data on endothelial responses to mechanical forces, the simulation provided valuable insights into shear stress impact during inflammatory episodes [3, 4, 5].

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:: • The outcomes of this research may improve diagnostics and treatment strategies in vascular pathology.
A. Cross-sectional visualization of the carotid artery shows narrowing due to inflammatory thickening, reducing blood flow.
B. Streamline analysis reveals maximum flow velocity at the narrowest central point in a blood vessel.
The simulation indicates an increase in shear stress, peaking at just above 0.25 psi in the occluded region—consistent with stress-induced endothelial dysfunction in vasculitis.
Our bioreactor system successfully models vascular dynamics and enables measurement of velocity shifts and shear force distribution.
• Continued optimization of the bioreactor is underway.
• These models are essential tools for studying disease mechanisms in vascular inflammation.