Theory 45/Tissue Engineering
Vascularisation Is a Diffusion Limit
The claim
The maximum thickness of an engineered tissue is set by the ratio of oxygen diffusion length to cell density rather than by scaffold design.
01The mechanism
Cells beyond the diffusion length become hypoxic; density sets consumption, which shortens the effective length.
02Predictions
- P1Thickness should track the ratio.
- P2Scaffold architecture alone should mispredict.
03Refutation
Thickness tracking scaffold design would remove the diffusion term.