Apoptosis-based method for determining lot sizes in the filling of human-induced pluripotent stem cells

Arachidonic acid modulates the cellular energetics of human pluripotent stem cells and protects the embryoid bodies from embryotoxicity effects in vitro

Arachidonic acid (AA), an ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid involved in signalling pathways that drive cell fate decisions, has an enhancing role in the immunomodulatory effect on mesenchymal stem cells and the vasculogenesis of embryonic stem cells. 3D embryoid bodies (EBs) from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have been used as in vitro models for embryotoxicity for various compounds/drugs. Valproic acid (VA), a common anti-epileptic drug, is known to be embryotoxic and cause malformations in embryos. As early embryogenesis depends on AA, we investigated the embryo protective effects of AA against the embryotoxic drug VA in this study. The effects of AA on the proliferation and cell cycle parameters of PSCs were studied. In particular, the potential of AA to abrogate VA-induced embryotoxicity in vitro was evaluated using ROS detection and antioxidant assays. In response to AA, we observed modulation in cell proliferation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and pluripotent NTERA-2 embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. The present study substantiates the cytoprotective effects of AA against VA. These results imply that AA plays a critical role in the proliferation and differentiation of iPSCs and EC cells and protects the EBs from cytotoxic damage, thereby ensuring normal embryogenesis. Thus, the bioactive lipid AA may be explored for supplementation to benefit pregnant women treated with long-term anti-epileptic drugs to prevent in-utero fetal growth malformations.

Approach of resource expenditure estimation toward mechanization in the manufacturing of cell-based products

Recent developments for the manufacturing of cell-based products have focused on the advancement of products to clinical trials or commercialization, with awareness of the importance of cost-based effectiveness in cell manufacturing. The mechanization of cell-processing operations is advantageous for the reproducibility and stability of product quality and is thought to reduce the cost-of-goods through the life cycle of the product in a scale-up system; however, few cases of the implementation exist. This study developed an estimation method for the resource expenditure of cell-processing operations in the manufacturing of cell-based products. To estimate resource expenditures, we evaluated the manufacturing processes by operations involving entering into the surrounding area of cell processing zone, materials loading, cell-processing operation, cleaning, and leaving from the surrounding area. The cell-processing operation is applicable to manual or robotic cell manufacturing system in a biosafety cabinet or an isolator system. In cases of low annual batch numbers of manufacturing (batch number <33), the resource expenditure of cell-processing operations in a robotic operation system installed in the isolator system is estimated to be higher compared with a manual operation system in the isolator system due to additional initial costs for design and fabrication of the robotic operation system containing robot arms. With increasing numbers of annual batches, the resource expenditure decreases for robotic operating system, leading to an advantageous juncture where the resource expenditure of a robotic operation system is equivalent to that of a manually operated system, whereby the labor cost for cell-processing operations rises. In addition, the expertise of operations required for cell manufacturing is suggested to foster potential risks associated with the operation skills or turnover of operators, and the cost of education and training increases due to the necessity of persistent human resource development. Collectively, revealing the approach for installation of robotic operation system in cell manufacturing.