Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
6.
Int J Artif Organs
. 2010 Aug;
33(8):512-25. Expansion of
human mesenchymal stem cells
in a fixed-bed bioreactor system
based on nonporous glass
carrier—part A: inoculation,
cultivation, and cell harvest
procedures. Weber C, Freimark
D, Pörtner R, Pino-Grace P, Pohl
S, Wallrapp C, Geigle P, Czermak
P. Institute of Biopharmaceutical
Technology, University of
Applied Sciences Giessen-
Friedberg, Giessen, Germany.
Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) are a
promising cell source for several applications of
regenerative medicine. The cells employed are either
autologous or allogenic; by using stem cell lines in
particular, allogenic cells enable the production of
therapeutic cell implants or tissue-engineered
implants in stock. For these purposes, the generally
small initial cell number has to be increased; this
requires the use of bioreactors, which offer controlled
expansion of the hMSC under GMP-conform
conditions. In this study, divided into parts A and B,
a fixed-bed bioreactor system based on nonporous
borosilicate glass spheres for the expansion of hMSC,
demonstrated with the model cell line hMSC-TERT,
is introduced. The system offers convenient
automation of the inoculation, cultivation, and
harvesting procedures. Furthermore, the bioreactor
has a simple design that favors its manufacture as a
disposable unit. Part A is focused on the inoculation,
cultivation, and harvesting procedures. Cultivations
were performed in lab scales up to a bed volume of
300 cm³. The study showed that the fixed-bed system,
based on 2 mm borosilicate glass spheres, as well as
the inoculation, cultivation, and harvesting
procedures are suitable for the expansion of hMSC
with high yield and vitality.
