Microscopic visualization of insect cell-bubble interactions. I: Rising bubbles, air-medium interface, and the foam layer

Bubble stimulation efficiency of dinoflagellate bioluminescence

Dinoflagellate bioluminescence, a common source of bioluminescence in coastal waters, is stimulated by flow agitation. Although bubbles are anecdotally known to be stimulatory, the process has never been experimentally investigated. This study quantified the flash response of the bioluminescent dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum to stimulation by bubbles rising through still seawater. Cells were stimulated by isolated bubbles of 0.3-3 mm radii rising at their terminal velocity, and also by bubble clouds containing bubbles of 0.06-10 mm radii for different air flow rates. Stimulation efficiency, the proportion of cells producing a flash within the volume of water swept out by a rising bubble, decreased with decreasing bubble radius for radii less than approximately 1 mm. Bubbles smaller than a critical radius in the range 0.275-0.325 mm did not stimulate a flash response. The fraction of cells stimulated by bubble clouds was proportional to the volume of air in the bubble cloud, with lower stimulation levels observed for clouds with smaller bubbles. An empirical model for bubble cloud stimulation based on the isolated bubble observations successfully reproduced the observed stimulation by bubble clouds for low air flow rates. High air flow rates stimulated more light emission than expected, presumably because of additional fluid shear stress associated with collective buoyancy effects generated by the high air fraction bubble cloud. These results are relevant to bioluminescence stimulation by bubbles in two-phase flows, such as in ship wakes, breaking waves, and sparged bioreactors.

Protein production using the baculovirus-insect cell expression system

The baculovirus-insect cell expression system is widely used in producing recombinant proteins. This review is focused on the use of this expression system in developing bioprocesses for producing proteins of interest. The issues addressed include: the baculovirus biology and genetic manipulation to improve protein expression and quality; the suppression of proteolysis associated with the viral enzymes; the engineering of the insect cell lines for improved capability in glycosylation and folding of the expressed proteins; the impact of baculovirus on the host cell and its implications for protein production; the effects of the growth medium on metabolism of the host cell; the bioreactors and the associated operational aspects; and downstream processing of the product. All these factors strongly affect the production of recombinant proteins. The current state of knowledge is reviewed.

Death rate in a small air-lift loop reactor of vero cells grown on solid microcarriers and in macroporous microcarriers

The death rate of Vero cells grown on Cytodex-3 microcarrierswas studied as a function of the gas flow rate in a smallair-lift loop reactor. The death rate may be described byfirst-order death-rate kinetics. The first-order death-rateconstant as calculated from the decrease in viable cells, theincrease in dead cells and the increase in LDH activity islinear proportional to the gas flow rate, with a specifichypothetical killing volume in which all cells are killed ofabout 2.10(-3)m(3) liquid per m(3) of air bubbles.In addition, an experiment was conducted in the sameair-lift reactor with Vero cells grown inside porous Asahimicrocarriers. The specific hypothetical killing volumecalculated from this experiment has a value of 3.10(-4)m(3) liquid per m(3) of air bubbles, which shows thatthe porous microcarriers were at least in part able to protectthe cells against the detrimental hydrodynamic forcesgenerated by the bubbles.

CO(2) in large-scale and high-density CHO cell perfusion culture

Productivity in a CHO perfusion culture reactor was maximized when pCO(2) was maintained in the range of 30-76 mm Hg. Higher levels of pCO(2) (> 150 mm Hg) resulted in CHO cell growth inhibition and dramatic reduction in productivity. We measured the oxygen utilization and CO(2) production rates for CHO cells in perfusion culture at 5.55×10(-17) mol cell(-1) sec(-1) and 5.36×10(-17) mol cell(-1) sec(-1) respectively. A simple method to directly measure the mass transfer coefficients for oxygen and carbon dioxide was also developed. For a 500 L bioreactor using pure oxygen sparge at 0.002 VVM from a microporous frit sparger, the overall apparent transfer rates (k(L)a+k(A)A) for oxygen and carbon dioxide were 0.07264 min(-1) and 0.002962 min(-1) respectively. Thus, while a very low flow rate of pure oxygen microbubbles would be adequate to meet oxygen supply requirements for up to 2.1×10(7) cells/mL, the low CO(2) removal efficiency would limit culture density to only 2.4×10(6) cells/mL. An additional model was developed to predict the effect of bubble size on oxygen and CO(2) transfer rates. If pure oxygen is used in both the headspace and sparge, then the sparging rate can be minimized by the use of bubbles in the size range of 2-3 mm. For bubbles in this size range, the ratio of oxygen supply to carbon dioxide removal rates is matched to the ratio of metabolic oxygen utilization and carbon dioxide generation rates. Using this strategy in the 500 L reactor, we predict that dissolved oxygen and CO(2) levels can be maintained in the range to support maximum productivity (40% DO, 76 mm Hg pCO(2)) for a culture at 10(7) cells/mL, and with a minimum sparge rate of 0.006 vessel volumes per minute.A = volumetric agitated gas-liquid interfacial area at the top of the liquid, 1/mB = cell broth bleeding rate from the vessel, L/minCER = carbon dioxide evolution rate in the bioreactor, mol/min[CO(2)] = dissolved CO(2) concentration in liquid, M[CO(2)](*) = CO(2) concentration in equilibrium with sparger gas, M[CO(2)](**) = CO(2) concentration in equilibrium with headspace gas, MCO(2)(1) = dissolved carbon dioxide molecule in water[C(T)] = total carbonic species concentration in bioreactor medium, M[C(T)](F) = total carbonic species concentration in feed medium, MD = bioreactor diameter, mD(I) = impeller diameter, mD(b) = the initial delivered bubble diameter, mF = fresh medium feeding rate, L/minH(L) = liquid height in the vessel, mk(A) = carbon dioxide transfer coefficient at liquid surface, m/mink (infA) (supO) = oxygen transfer coefficient at liquid surface, m/min.

Scale up aspects of sparged insect-cell bioreactors

CONCLUSION

In this chapter we have attempted to evaluate the most important parameters which can be useful for the pur-pose of design and scale up. Insect cells and animal cells in general can be grown well in large vessels. However, none of the theories and parameters discussed in this chapter have been validated on a larger scale than laboratory and small pilot reactors. Selection of the most suitable design and scale-up method there-fore needs in particular studies in larger vessels. The Kolmogorov theory and the killing-volume model are in this respect the most promising approaches for the optimal design of large-scale animal-cell bioreactors.

Quantification of damage to suspended insect cells as a result of bubble rupture

It is proposed that when cells are either attached to, or very near, a rupturing bubble, the hydrodynamic forces associated with the rupture are sufficient to kill the cells. Four types of experiments were conducted to quantify the number and location of these killed cells. We determined: (1) the number of cells killed as a result of a single, 3.5-mm bubble rupture; (2) the number and viability of cells in the upward jet that results when a bubble ruptures; (3) the number of cells on the bubble film; and (4) the fate of cells attached to the bubble film after film rupture. All experiments were conducted with Spodoptera frugiperda (SF-9) insect cells, in TNM-FH and SFML medium, with and without Pluronic F-68. Experiments indicate that approximately 1050 cells are killed per single, 3.5-mm bubble rupture in TNM-FH medium and approximately the same number of dead cells are present in the upward jet. It was also observed that the concentration of cells in this upward jet is higher than the cell suspension in TNM-FH medium without Pluronic F-68 by a factor of two. It is believed that this higher concentration is the result of cells adhering to the bubble interface. These cells are swept up into the upward jet during the bubble rupture process. Finally, it is suggested that a thin layer around the bubble containing these absorbed cells is the "hypothetical killing volume" presented by other researchers. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Thermodynamic approach to explain cell adhesion to air-medium interfaces

Cell damage has been observed in suspension cell cultures with air sparging, especially in the absence of any protective additives. This damage is associated with cells adhering to bubbles, and it has been shown that if this adhesion is prevented, cell damage is prevented. This article presents a thermodynamic approach for predicting cell adhesion at the air-medium interface. With this relationship it can be shown that cell-gas adhesion can be prevented by lowering the surface tension of the liquid growth medium through the addition of surface-active protective additives. The thermodynamic relationship describes the change in free energy as a function of the interfacial tensions between the (i) gas and liquid phases, (ii) gas and cell phases, and (iii) liquid and cell phases. Experimental data, along with theoretical and empirical equations, are used to quantify the changes in free energy that predict the process of cell-gas adhesion. The thermodynamic model is nonspecific in nature and, consequently, results are equally valid for all types of cells. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Interactions between animal cells and gas bubbles: The influence of serum and pluronic F68 on the physical properties of the bubble surface

We describe a method by which the degree of bubble saturation can be determined by measuring the velocity of single bubbles at different heights from the bubble source in pure water containing increasing concentrations of surfactants. The highest rising velocities were measured in pure water. Addition of surfactants caused a concentration-dependent and height-dependent decrease in bubble velocity; thus, bubbles are covered with surfactants as they rise, and the distance traveled until saturation is reached decreases with increased concentration of surfactant. Pluronic F68 is a potent effector of bubble saturation, 500 times more active than serum. At Pluronic F68 concentrations of 0.1% (w/v), bubbles are saturated essentially at their source. The effect of bubble saturation on the interactions between animal cells and gas bubbles was investigated by using light microscopy and a micromanipulator. In the absence of surfactants, bubbles had a killing effect on cells; hybridoma cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were ruptured when coming into contact with a bubble. Bubbles only partially covered by surfactants adsorbed the cells. The adsorbed cells were not damaged and they also could survive subsequent detachment. Saturated bubbles, on the other hand, did not show any interactions with cells. It is concluded that the protective effect of serum and Pluronic F68 in sparged cultivation systems is based on covering the medium-bubble interface with surfaceactive components and that cell death occurs either after contact of cells with an uncovered bubble or by adsorption of cells through partially saturated bubbles and subsequent transport of cells into the foam region. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Analysis of cell-to-bubble attachment in sparged bioreactors in the presence of cell-protecting additives

To investigate the mechanisms of cell protection provided by medium additives against animal cell injury in sparged bioreactors, we have analyzed the effect of various additives on the cell-to-bubble attachment process using CHO cells in suspension. Cell-to-bubble attachment was examined using three experimental techniques: (1) cell-bubble induction time analysis (cell-to-bubble attachment times); (2) forming thin liquid films and observing the movement and location of cells in the thin films; and (3) foam flotation experiments. The induction times we measured for the various additives are as follows: no additive (50 to 500 ms), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP: 20 to 500 ms), polyethylene glycol (PEG: 200 to 1000 ms), 3% serum (500 to 1000 ms), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA: 2 to 10 s), Pluronic F68 (5 to 20 s), and Methocel (20 to 60 s). In the thin film formation experiments, cells in medium with either F68, PVA, or Methocel quickly flowed out of draining thin liquid films and entered the plateau border. When using media with no additive or with serum, the flow of cells out of the thin liquid film and film drainage were slower than for media containing Pluronic F68. PVA, or Methocel. With PVP and PEG, the thin film drainage was much slower and cells remained trapped in the film. For the foam flotation experiments, a separation factor (ratio of cell concentration in the foam catch to that in the bubble column) was determined for the various additives. In the order of increasing separation factors (i.e., increasing cell attachment to bubbles), the additives are as follows: Methocel, PVA, Pluronic F68, 3% serum, serum-free medium with no additives, PEG, and PVP. Based on the results of these three different cell-to-bubble attachment experiments, we have classified the cell-protecting additives into three groups: (1) Pluronic F68, PVA, and Methocel (reduced cell-to-bubble attachment); (2) PEG and PVP (high or increased cell-to-bubble attachment); and (3) FBS (reduced cell attachment butslower drainage films compared with F68, PVA, and Methocel with some cell entrapment in those films). These phenomena are discussed in relation to the interfacial properties of the media reported in a companion Study (this issue). (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Cultivation of hybridoma cells in an inclined bioreactor

Murine hybridoma cells were grown in a bubble column that was inclined up to 45 degrees from vertical. Inclining the column by a few degrees separated the rising bubbles against the upper surface, leaving the bulk of the liquid bubble free. The liquid was circulated well by the rising bubbles, but collection of cells by rising bubbles and exposure of cells to bursting bubbles were minimized. Maximum viable cell count and exponential growth of the cells were not affected by inclination, but an inclination of 30 degrees gave an antibody titer of 42 mg/L, which more than doubled the yield of 17 mg/L in the vertical position. By comparison, the culture gave yields of 30 mg/L when grown in spinner flasks. The enhanced antibody production in the inclined bioreactor corresponded to a prolonged stationary phase of 45 h. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The potential of hydrodynamic damage to animal cells of industrial relevance: current understanding

Suspension animal cell culture is now routinely scaled up to bioreactors on the order of 10,000 L, and greater, to meet commercial demand. However, the concern of the 'shear sensitivity' of animal cells still remains, not only within the bioreactor, but also in the downstream processing. As the productivities continue to increase, titer of ~10 g/L are now reported with cell densities greater than 2 × 10(7) cells/mL. Such high, and potentially higher cell densities will inevitably translate to increased demand in mass transfer and mixing. In addition, achieving productivity gains in both the upstream stage and downstream processes can subject the cells to aggressive environments such as those involving hydrodynamic stresses. The perception of 'shear sensitivity' has historically put an arbitrary upper limit on agitation and aeration in bioreactor operation; however, as cell densities and productivities continue to increase, mass transfer requirements can exceed those imposed by these arbitrary low limits. Therefore, a better understanding of how animal cells, used to produce therapeutic products, respond to hydrodynamic forces in both qualitative and quantitative ways will allow an experimentally based, higher, "upper limit" to be created to guide the design and operation of future commercial, large scale bioreactors. With respect to downstream hydrodynamic conditions, situations have already been achieved in which practical limits with respect to hydrodynamic forces have been experienced. This review mainly focuses on publications from both the academy and industry regarding the effect of hydrodynamic forces on industrially relevant animal cells, and not on the actual scale-up of bioreactors. A summary of implications and remaining challenges will also be presented.

Utilization of glucose and amino acids in insect cell cultures: Quantifying the metabolic flows within the primary pathways and medium development

The current understanding of insect cell metabolism is very limited. In order to gain some insight into the growth and metabolism of insect cells Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9), a comprehensive characterization of culture conditions for cells grown in the IPL-41 medium was made by measuring the amino acid composition of the growth medium and the cell extract, the macromolecular composition of the cells (DNA, RNA, and protein), medium concentrations of various metabolites and sugars, and the evolved CO(2). Since in the IPL-41-based serum-free medium all of the amino acids except cysteine are in great excess of what is needed by the cells for energy and protein production, a medium formulation with an osmolarity similar to the IPL-41 but with a lower amino acid content than IPL-41 was also developed. The new medium also lacks maltose and sucrose (contains only glucose), supported cell growth to a high cell density of 8 x 10(6) cells/mL. The cellular and energetic yields indicated that a tight coupling between the biosynthetic and energetic reactions was attained for cells grown in the new medium. Moreover, it was found that the intermittent feeding of glucose may not be required as the cell yield and growth rate were comparable whether the same total amount of glucose was provided intermittently or was included initially in the medium. The eventual cessation of growth in the new medium is believed to be due to the amino acid limitation because concentrations of both glutamine and glutamate were very low at the end of the growth phase. Thus, further optimization, which may include higher initial glutamine in the medium or its intermittent feeding, could lead to a further increase in the cell density. Finally, a stoichiometrically based analysis of metabolic reactions confirmed the operation of the key pathways and was used to quantify the distribution of metabolites among primary metabolic reactions. The quantitative flow values were used to highlight some key aspects of insect cell metabolism.

Effect of dilution rate on growth, productivity, cell cycle and size, and shear sensitivity of a hybridoma cell in a continuous culture

To study the effects of the growth rate of the hybridoma cell Mn12 on productivity, cell cycle, cell size, and shear sensitivity, six continuous cultures were run at dilution rate of 0.011, 0.021, 0.023, 0.030, 0.042, and 0.058 h(-1). This particular hybridoma cell appeared to be unstable in continuous culture with respect to specific productivity, as a sudden drop occurred after about 30 generations in continuous culture, accompanied by the appearance of two populations with respect to the cytoplasmic lgG content. The specific productivity increased with increasing growth rate. The shear sensitivity of the cell, as measured in a small air-lift loop reactor, increased with increasing growth rate. The mean relative cell size, as determined with a flow cytometer, increased with increasing growth rates. Furthermore, the fraction of cells in the S phase increased, and the fraction of cells in the G1/G0 phase decreased with increasing growth rates.

Pluronic enhances the robustness and reduces the cell attachment of mammalian cells

The addition of the non-ionic surfactant, Pluronic F-68, to serum-free CHO cultures causes multi-functional effects that enhance cell yield in agitated cultures and reduce cell adhesion in stationary cultures. Three independent CHO cell lines were subjected to high liquid shear in assay systems that either included or excluded a liquid-gas interface. In the absence of Pluronic, there was a loss in cell viability in either assay system, although there was an intrinsic variability in sensitivity of the cell lines to shear damage. Supplementation with Pluronic prevented loss of cell viability, indicating protection in either a gas sparged or bubble-free environment. However, we found no evidence of long-term protection of cells once Pluronic was removed. Pluronic was capable of repairing trypsin-damaged cells as evidenced by enhanced growth, reduced membrane porosity, and improved robustness under liquid shear. The proportion of adherent cells was reduced to a minimal level by the presence of Pluronic although its effect was rapidly reversible with a high proportion (70%) of adherent cells observed within a few culture passages of its removal. The observed effects of Pluronic on these cultures are compatible with a mechanism in which the polymer forms a protective layer on the cell membrane, which has a significantly lower hydrophobicity.

Protein response of insect cells to bioreactor environmental stresses

Protein expression of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells was characterized upon exposure to environmental stresses typically present in bioreactors including heat shock, oxygen deprivation, shear stress, change of pH, and salinity or ethanol shock. This study fills the void in knowledge as to how bioreactor hydrodynamics, anoxia, small changes in pH as well as salinity alterations due to pH control or exposure to ethanol used in asepsis treatments affect protein expression in Sf9 cells. Heat shock at 43 degrees C induced proteins at 83 kDa, 68-78 kDa and six small heat shock proteins (hsps) at 23-15.5 kDa. Anaerobic conditions in CO2 atmosphere reduced significantly the normal protein synthesis and induced a small subset of heat shock proteins at 70 kDa. Oxygen deprivation in nitrogen atmosphere transiently induces the 70 kDa proteins and had minor effects on the normal protein synthesis. Exposure to increased salinity or ethanol concentration failed to trigger the stress response, but may extensively inhibit the induction of normal proteins even though there was a negligible change in cell viability. Shear stress that had a major reducing effect on cell viability did not change the protein synthesis profile of Sf9 cells. Both long and short term exposures to small pH changes had negligible effects on protein synthesis.

Effect of shear stress on expression of a recombinant protein by Chinese hamster ovary cells

A flow chamber was used to impart a steady laminar shear stress on a recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line expressing human growth hormone (hGH). The cells were subjected to shear stress ranging from 0.005 to 0.80 N m(-2). The effect of shear stress on the cell specific glucose uptake, cell specific hGH, and lactate productivity rates were calculated. No morphological changes to the cells were observed over the range of shear stresses examined. When the cells were subjected to 0.10 N m(-2) shear in protein-free media without Pluronic F-68, recombinant protein production ceased with no change in cell morphology, whereas control cultures were expressing hGH at 0.35 microg/10(6 )cells/h. Upon addition of the shear protectants, Pluronic F-68 (0.2% [w/v]) or fetal bovine serum (1.0% [v/v] FBS), the productivity of the cells was restored. The effect of increasing shear stress on the cells in protein-free medium containing Pluronic F-68 was also investigated. Cell specific metabolic rates were calculated for cells under shear stress and for no-shear control cultures performed in parallel, with shear stress rates expressed as a percentage of those obtained for control cultures. Upon increasing shear from 0.005 to 0.80 N m(-2), the cell specific hGH productivity decreased from 100% at 0.005 N m(-2) to 49% at 0.80 N m(-2) relative to the no-shear control. A concurrent increase in the glucose uptake rate from 115% at 0.01 N m(-2) to 142% at 0.80 N m(-2), and decreased lactate productivity from 92% to 50%, revealed a change in the yield of products from glucose compared with the static control. It was shown that shear stress, at sublytic levels in medium containing Pluronic F-68, could decrease hGH specific productivity.

Animal-cell damage in sparged bioreactors

The gas sparging of culture broth causes damage to suspended animal cells. However, despite this, sparged bioreactors remain the preferred means of cell culture because sparging is a robust method of supplying oxygen, especially on a large scale. This article examines the underlying mechanisms involved in bubble-associated cell damage and the methods available for controlling such damage.

Evidence of Pluronic F-68 direct interaction with insect cells: impact on shear protection, recombinant protein, and baculovirus production*

Pluronic F-68 has been widely used to protect animal cells from hydrodynamic stress, but its mechanism of action is still debatable. Published evidence indicates that Pluronic F-68 interacts with cells, yet scarce information exists of its effect on recombinant protein and virus production by insect cells. In this work, the effect of Pluronic F-68 on production of recombinant baculovirus and rotavirus protein VP7 was determined. Evidence of Pluronic F-68 direct interaction with Sf-9 insect cells also was obtained. Maximum recombinant VP7 concentration and yield increased 10x, whereas virus production decreased by 20x, in spinner flask cultures with 0.05% (w/v) Pluronic F-68 compared to controls lacking the additive. No differences were observed in media rheology, nor kinetics of growth and infection (as inferred from cell size) between both cultures. Hence, Pluronic F-68 influenced cell physiology independently of its shear protective effect. Cells subjected to a laminar shear rate of 3000 s(-1) for 15 min, without gas/liquid interfaces, were protected by Pluronic F-68 even after its removal from culture medium. Furthermore, the protective action was immediate in vortexed cells. The results shown here indicate that Pluronic F-68 physically interacts with cells in a direct, strong, and stable mode, not only protecting them from hydrodynamic damage, but also modifying their capacity for recombinant protein and virus production.

Shear sensitivity of animal cells from a culture-medium perspective

Recently, several groups have published data on the shear sensitivity of suspended animal cells and the protective effect of certain polymers. These findings did not, at the time, seem to have great practical application because shear sensitivity did not cause great problems for large-scale applications in sparged and stirred-tank reactors using the then-current culture media and fermentation procedures. However, two recent developments might require renewed attention in sparged animal-cell cultures--protein-free media and new fermentation techniques.

Mechanisms of animal cell damage associated with gas bubbles and cell protection by medium additives

Animal cell damage arising from gas sparging is considered to be a major barrier to large-scale production of recombinant biologicals in animal cell culture. Understanding sparging cell damage is therefore of significance to the application of animal cell culture. The paper reviews the hydrodynamics of bubble rupture, mechanisms of cell-bubble interaction, mathematical modelling and quantification of the sparging damage. Another interesting topic addressed in the paper is the protective effects of various medium additives against fluid mechanical cell damage, especially those surface-active polymers such as pluronic polyols, methylcellulose and polyethylene glycol. Experimental results obtained recently by the author and other researchers were examined to reveal the mechanisms of additive protection. The interactions of additives with air-liquid interfaces and the animal cells were analyzed with respect to their physical properties and chemical structure.

Effects of the hydrodynamic environment and shear protectants on survival of erythrocytes in suspension

Survival of media-suspended porcine erythrocytes exposed to various hydrodynamic environments was investigated with and without such shear protectant additives as bovine serum albumin, dextran and the non-ionic surfactant Pluronic F68. Erythrocytes provided a model cell population with cells of a uniform size, metabolic state and shear tolerance. Because the cells were non-growing, any shear adaptation effects were avoided. Cell lysis was followed by microscopic counts or release of haemoglobin. The cells were susceptible to agitation damage in unaerated shake flasks agitated at 100 rpm or greater. Relative to additives-free operation, the presence of 0.1% (w/v) dextran or albumin prolonged cell survival, but Pluronic F68 actually enhanced cell lysis in flasks agitated at 100 rpm. The protective effect of the additives depended on the hydrodynamic conditions. The protective effect of albumin was demonstrated also in aerated conditions in a split-cylinder airlift bioreactor (aspect ratio of 8.8; riser-to-downcomer cross-sectional area ratio of 1.0; specific power input of 0.34 W m-3). Comparison of the cell lysis characteristics in the airlift device and the best case performance of the shake flask showed longer survival in the flask (100 rpm); however, the length of survival in the reactor (approx. 70 h) was sufficient for practical purposes. In all cases, the cell lysis pattern conformed initially to zero-order dependence in cell concentration, becoming first-order after varying degrees of exposure to hydrodynamic forces. Fatigue failure of cells was inferred.

Unified modeling framework of cell death due to bubbles in agitated and sparged bioreactors

A modeling framework is proposed to assess the detrimental effects of air sparging and other bubble phenomena (vortex entrainment, coalescence, bursting) on freely suspended cells in an aerated, agitated bioreactor. It is assumed that cells may be rendered nonviable by bubble breakup/coalescence within the medium, by bubble formation at the sparger, or by bubble bursting at the free surface. Some plausible mechanisms are argued from the energetic view point. The dominant parameters in each case are the cell-bubble encounter rate and the bubble breakup/bursting rate. These inactivation processes lead to a Michaelis-Menten expression for the specific cell death rate, which is shown to be linearly proportional to the specific bubble interfacial area (total bubble surface area per unit volume of media). By using published viable cell concentration data for retarded growth of mammalian cells due to sparging, the interfacial area correlation is demonstrated. The method is generalized to aerated bioreactor conditions. The article offers a unique, consistent perspective on how cell death can be viewed.

Cells and bubbles in sparged bioreactors

Ever since animal cells have been grown in-vitro, various techniques have been used to supply the cells with oxygen. The most simple and commonly used 'large-scale' technique to provide oxygen is through the introduction of gas bubbles. However, almost since the beginning of in-vitro cell culture, empirical observations have indicated that bubbles can be detrimental to the cells. This review will discuss the background of the problem, review the relevant research on the topic, attempt to provide a coherent summary of what we know from all of this research, and finally outline what still needs to be investigated. Specific topics to be covered include: experimental correlations of cell damage with bubbles, cell attachment to bubbles, the hydrodynamics of bubble rupture, bioreactor studies, visualization studies, and computer simulations and qualification of cell death as a result of bubble rupture.

Quantitative investigations of cell-bubble interactions using a foam fractionation technique

Previous work by the authors and others has shown that suspended animal cell damage in bioreactors is caused by cell-bubble interactions, regardless whether the bubbles are from bubble entrainment or direct gas sparging. As approach to measure the adsorptivity of animal cells to bubbles, a modified batch foam fractionation technique has been developed in this work and proven to be applicable. By using this technique, the number of cells absorbed per unit bubble surface area and the adsorption coefficients have been measured to quantify hybridoma cell-bubble interactions, and the preventive effects of serum and Pluronic F68 on these interactions. It was demonstrated quantitatively that the hybridoma cells adhere to bubbles spontaneously and significant numbers exist in the foam, and that both the serum and Pluronic F68 provide strong prevention to these cell-bubble interactions. The results obtained provide criteria for bioreactor operation and medium formulation to prevent cell-bubble interactions and cell damage in the culture processes.

Shear sensitivity in animal cell culture

Over the past year, considerable progress has been made in understanding shear sensitivity in animal cell culture as a result of extensive theoretical and experimental work. Here we review this progress, paying special attention to the physical and biological mechanisms by which mechanical forces act upon cells, and the effects of such forces.

A review of the effects of shear and interfacial phenomena on cell viability

The shear sensitivity of animal and plant cells is a problem often encountered in large-scale cell culture. Such sensitivity varies with different cell lines and the severity of cellular damage may depend on both the magnitude and the duration of the shear stress. In a bioreactor, the shear susceptibility of cells depends on their response to hydrodynamic forces arising from fluid motions of particular scale. Cell damage may be induced by forces in the bulk liquid phase, but fluid motions associated with the gas-liquid interface are especially energetic. The detrimental effects of hydrodynamic forces are abated by the addition of some polymers, such as Pluronic F-68, methylcellulose, or serum; the exact mechanisms of protection are the subject of current research.