Observations on bacterial cellulose tube formation for application as vascular graft

Nanocellulose (bacterial cellulose, BC), such as that produced by Acetobacter xylinum, has shown promising results as a replacement material for small diameter vascular grafts. The surface morphology of the lumen and mechanical properties of such tubes are crucial for their performance. The growth of a BC tube in a vertical fermentation bioreactor using silicone tubing for support and as an oxygen delivery membrane has not been studied in detail previously. Oxygen concentration and the number of bacteria added influence the production of the BC tubes. A dense and smooth luminal surface was formed after 4 days on a 3 mm silicone support. The bacteria were found to be in high concentration close to the silicon support and decreased in number further away. In the region with a high bacteria concentration, dense thin layers of BC were formed since the bacteria moved close together in this region. The presented observations were summarized in a theoretical model of BC tube growth.