Bioreactor for Stem Cell Cultivation

Invention Description
Adult stem cell research is not limited by federal funding restrictions and is an area of growing research interest. Maintaining adult stem cell lines is an important aspect of future research and development. The perfusion bioreactor mimics conditions encountered by adult stem cells within the human body by bathing stem cells in a protein-rich liquid and simulating the flow of the human body’s circulatory system. This allows the researchers to deliver essential nutrients to the stem cells in a manner similar to the way that the stem cells receive nutrients within humans.

State of Development

• Experimental

Potential Applications

• The perfusion reactor is used to grow adult stem cells in an environment similar to the human body.
• The perfusion reactor design creates the ability to control what type of cells the stem cells become.
• In development for a spiral, fibrous-bed bioreactor system that enables automated seeding, harvesting, and transport and sustains high density human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell expansion and RBC differentiation.

Benefits and Advantages

• Greater cell viability due to the lack of enzymatic treatment when harvesting cells.
• Allows significantly greater cell densities to be achieved than previously available technology.
• Ability to direct differentiation and therefore control the type of cells ultimately produced.
• After the tissues are grown they are suitable for clinical transplantation.
• Allows for automation of many steps in the cell culture process including seeding, harvesting and transport.
• Uses a “smart” coating that enables on-off affinity control between the cells and the scaffolds to achieve automated cell harvesting and transport. This feature eliminates the need for enzymatic treatment which simplifies large scale growth and increases the viable cell yield.
• Adjustable fluid flow direction facilitates control of the fluid environment based on cell development requirements in the 3-D construct.
• The system allows efficient cell seeding and even cell distribution in the 3-D construct so that high cell densities can be achieved.
• Modular design allows for the removal of individual flow chambers without interrupting the system. This is an attractive feature for research use where multiple samples are needed at various times.
• Stem cells can live in the reactor for up to forty days.

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