An apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping, and testing three-dimensional tissue constructs is disclosed. The apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pump, at least one treatment chamber, and a means for controlling media flow characteristics around a tissue construct disposed within the treatment chamber, and for controlling movement of the construct itself, so as to simulate a variety of physiologic conditions. One exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a means for applying an axial stress to the construct. Applying an axial stress to the construct during seeding and culturing results in a tissue-engineered construct with cells and their fibers oriented in a manner which is more likely to possess long term dimensional stability and the patency of native vessels with normal physiologic function.
