Fig. 6.

3-D cultures of OVCAR8-DsRed2 cells oxygenated via micropillars generate distinct culture geometries. The positions of the micropillars are shown as white circles. Images are maximum intensity projections of a range of z-values (200–250 µm z-stacks). Confocal images of 7 d bioreactor cultures in Matrigel with the upper bioreactor chamber maintained at 0% O₂ (95% N₂, 5% CO₂) and lower bioreactor chambers maintained at 3% (top center) and 8% O₂ (top left). Control culture geometries of cells grown in Matrigel for 7 days at 3% (bottom center) and 8% O₂ (bottom left) show smaller spheroidal morphologies. One type of bioreactor control experiment involved culturing cells in the bioreactor in the absence of an O₂ gradient (top right). Both chambers were kept at 3% O₂ for 7 d to serve as a bioreactor control. The second bioreactor control experiment involved an O₂ gradient, but used a flat SiHy membrane (bottom right). The top and bottom chambers were kept at 0% O₂ and 3% O₂, respectively. Scale bar, 100 µm.