Substrates and bioreactors for preparing a comestible meat product

Abstract

The substrates, systems, and methods described herein relate to textured substrates for preparing a comestible meat product. Substrates and methods are described herein for controlling one or more of growth, adhesion, retention, and/or release of cells (e.g., of a cell sheet) on or from the surface of the substrate. A method of preparing a comestible meat product may include applying a plurality of non-human cells to at least one patterned texture substrate, growing the cells on the patterned texture substrate to form the comestible meat product, and separating the comestible meat product from the patterned texture substrate. The patterned texture allows for improved growth, adhesion, retention, and/or release of cells as compared to another surface not comprising the patterned texture. In some embodiments, the cell culture substrate surfaces include a plurality of regions corresponding to a plurality of patterned textures.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A substrate for growing a comestible meat product, comprising:
 a first region comprising a first texture with a first textural adhesion; and   a second region comprising a second texture with a second textural adhesion;   wherein the second textural adhesion is greater than the first textural adhesion.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the first textural adhesion and the second textural adhesion are configured to cause cells to bond to the second region more strongly than to the first region. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate of  claim 1 , further comprising a third region between the first region and the second region in which the first texture overlaps the second texture. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the first texture and the second texture are configured to facilitate cells to grow on the substrate and separate from the substrate in a cell sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is spaced apart from the second region by a region devoid of a patterned texture. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the first texture and the second texture form a textural adhesion gradient featuring stronger adhesion near a first end of the substrate and progressively weaker adhesion towards a second end of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the first texture comprises one or more of a radial, circular, non-linear, spot, and cross-hatched pattern and one or more channels, recesses, or protrusions. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate of  claim 1 , further comprising a biocompatible coating applied to the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate of  claim 1 , wherein substrate forms part of a forms part of a three-dimensional lattice of substrates. 
     
     
         10 . A bioreactor for growing a comestible meat product comprising:
 a plurality of substrates arranged parallel to each other; and   each substrate of the plurality of substrates comprising a surface texture configured to inhibit release of non-human cells grown thereon for a predetermined amount of time or until the non-human cells achieve a predetermined cell state.   
     
     
         11 . The bioreactor of  claim 10 , wherein the surface texture is configured to promote one or more of:
 growth of non-human meat cells on a given substrate;   adhesion of a comestible meat product on a given substrate;   retention of a comestible meat product on a given substrate; or   release of a comestible meat product from a given substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The bioreactor of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of substrates form a three-dimensional lattice of substrates. 
     
     
         13 . The bioreactor of  claim 10 , wherein the surface texture is configured to aid in fluidic detachment of the comestible meat product from the plurality of substrates. 
     
     
         14 . The bioreactor of  claim 10 , wherein the surface texture forms a textural adhesion gradient on each substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The bioreactor of  claim 10 , wherein each substrate of the plurality of substrates comprises:
 a first region comprising a first texture with a first textural adhesion; and   a second region comprising a second texture with a second textural adhesion.   
     
     
         16 . A bioreactor for growing a comestible meat product comprising:
 a plurality of substrates arranged parallel to each other; and   each substrate of the plurality of substrates comprises:
 a first region comprising a first texture with a first textural adhesion; and 
 a second region comprising a second texture with a second textural adhesion; 
 wherein the second textural adhesion is greater than the first textural adhesion. 
   
     
     
         17 . The bioreactor of  claim 16 , wherein the first texture and the second texture are configured to promote one or more of:
 growth of non-human meat cells on a given substrate;   adhesion of a comestible meat product on a given substrate;   retention of a comestible meat product on a given substrate; or   release of a comestible meat product from a given substrate.   
     
     
         18 . The bioreactor of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of substrates form a three-dimensional lattice of substrates. 
     
     
         19 . The bioreactor of  claim 16 , wherein the first texture and the second texture are configured to aid in fluidic detachment of the comestible meat product from the plurality of substrates. 
     
     
         20 . The bioreactor of  claim 16 , wherein the first textural adhesion and the second textural adhesion are configured to cause cells to bond to the second region more strongly than to the first region.