Patent ID: 8232096

Claim:
A bioreactor ( 1010 ), comprising, a plurality of fluid-filled structures having three-dimensional relationships among the structures defined in terms of an orthogonally related bioreactor ( 1010 ) x axis, y axis, and z axis, bounded within an external frame ( 1012 ), and further comprising: at least a first microchannel ( 1200 ) having a first microchannel distal end ( 1210 ) and a first microchannel distal end opening ( 1212 ), at least a first microchannel medial sidewall ( 1222 ) and at least a first microchannel lateral sidewall ( 1224 ), a first microchannel cross-sectional area, and a first microchannel proximal end ( 1240 ); a reaction reservoir ( 1100 ) having at least one reaction reservoir sidewall ( 1120 ) and a reaction reservoir volume, in fluid communication with the first microchannel proximal end ( 1240 ) through a first microchannel proximal end-reaction reservoir fenestration ( 1242 ), having at least one first microchannel proximal end-reaction reservoir fenestration height ( 1244 ) and at least one first microchannel proximal end-reaction reservoir fenestration width ( 1246 ) defining at least one first microchannel proximal end-reaction reservoir fenestration cross-sectional area; at least one diffusion control chamber ( 1300 ) having at least one first diffusion control chamber sidewall ( 1320 ) and a first diffusion control chamber volume, in fluid communication with the reaction reservoir ( 1100 ) through at least a first diffusion control chamber fluid flow control port ( 1350 ), at least a second microchannel ( 1500 ) having a second microchannel proximal end ( 1510 ), a second microchannel distal end ( 1520 ), a second microchannel length and a second microchannel cross-sectional area, in fluid communication with the at least one diffusion control chamber ( 1300 ) through at least a second diffusion control chamber fluid flow control port ( 1350 ) having a cross-sectional area lesser than the second microchannel cross-sectional area and in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere through the second microchannel proximal end ( 1520 ), and wherein the at least one diffusion control chamber ( 1300 ) further comprises at least a first diffusion control chamber ( 1300 ) and a second diffusion control chamber ( 1300 ) wherein the first diffusion control chamber ( 1300 ) has at least a first diffusion control chamber fluid flow control port ( 1350 ) and at least a second diffusion control chamber fluid flow control port ( 1350 ).