Development of the optimal inoculation conditions for microcarrier cultures

The environmental conditions under which anchorage-dependent mammalian cells are grown are not necessarily those under which a culture should be initiated. Cell attachment is a physical process, and those factors which affect forces involved in cell attachment differ from the biological factors which affect cell growth. We have conducted an extensive experimental study to define clearly the optimal environmental conditions for MRC-5 cell attachment onto microcarriers. These inoculation conditions are particularly important when the serial propagation of mammalian cells on microcarriers is considered as in a human vaccine production process. The conditions which were investigated are: initial serum content (% v/v), initial pH, inoculation level (cells/bead), agitation rate (rpm), and the concentration of microcarriers (g/L). The initial distribution of attached cells was found to have a significant affect on the overall efficiency of anchorage-dependent cell cultures, and was used to evaluate attachment efficiency. Based on the experimental results, we propose an optimized protocol for the inoculation of microcarrier cultures.     

Optimization of physical parameters for cell attachment and growth on macroporous microcarriers

The rates of cell attachment of the anchorage-dependent mammalian cell line Vero to the gelatin-based macroporous microcarrier Cultispher-G were determined under various conditions. An optimal rate of attachment (0.98 x 10(-2) min(-1)) occurred by an intermittent stirring regimen of 3 min stirring at 40 rpm per 33 min. This stirring regimen appeared to maximize cell-to-bead attachment and minimized cell aggregation which occurred at a broadly comparable rate.A further increase in the rate of cell-to-bead attachment occurred by preincubation of the microcarriers in serum-supplemented medium prior to cell inoculation in a serum-free medium. However, serum supplementation (>5%) was required for maximal cell growth. The pH of the medium had little effect on cell attachment over a broad range (pH 7.1-8.0). An initial cell/bead inoculum of 30 ensured an even distribution of cells on the available microcarriers with a low proportion of unoccupied beads.The rate of cell attachment to Cultispher-G was an order of magnitude lower than the determined value for the charged dextran microcarrier Cytodex-1, which was measured as 9.05 x 10(-2) min(-1). The optimal conditions for cell attachment were significantly different for the two bead types. Cell attachment to the electrostatic surface of the Cytodex-1 microcarriers was highly dependent on pH and serum supplementation. Cell aggregation during attachment to the Cytodex-1 microcarriers was minimal because of the higher rate of cell-microcarrier attachment.The porous nature of the Cultispher-G microcarriers allowed a maximum cell/bead loading of >1400, which was at least 3 times higher than equivalent loading of the cells on Cytodex-1. The Cultispher-G matrix also allowed the use of higher agitation rates (up to 100 rpm) in spinner flasks without affecting the cell growth rate or maximum cell density. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Attachment and growth of mammalian cells on microcarriers with different ion exchange capacities

In the design of microcarriers for animal cell growth, the exchange capacity has been considered a critical factor. However, charge densities of microcarriers under culture conditions are not the same as the exchange capacities. Furthermore, the charge density requirement for optimum attachment is not necessarily the same as that required for optimum growth. We demonstrate that charge is not the sole factor affecting the attachment and growth of animal cells on microcarriers. We also show that supplemental serum in the growth medium has a negative effect on cell attachment to microcarriers.     

Formation of bridges and large cellular clumps in CHO-cell microcarrier cultures: Effects of agitation dimethyl sulfoxide and calf serum

We have investigated conditions that inhibit the tendency of CHO K1 cells to form cellular bridges between microcarriers and dense clumps of cellular overgrowth in microcarrier cultures. Microcarrier aggregation by cellular bridge formation was found to occur only during periods of rapid cell growth. The level of microcarrier aggregation decreased with increasing agitation intensity. Dense masses of cellular overgrowth formed inside bridges connecting the microcarriers and in clumps that protruded off the microcarrier surface. To replace cells that were continuously sheared from the microcarriers, cell growth occurred preferentially in areas of overgrowth after confluent microcarriers were maintained in a serum-free medium. This ultimately led to poor surface coverage as bare spots developed on the microcarrier away from the areas of dense cellular overgrowth. The development of bare spots was inhibited when confluent microcarriers were maintained in medium supplemented with 1% serum. The development of cellular overgrowth was inhibited by dimethyl sulfoxide. Thus, maintaining confluent microcarriers in medium supplemented with 1% dimethyl sulfoxide and 1% calf serum resulted in microcarriers that appeared similar to monolayer cultures. There was also a decrease in bridging in cultures supplemented with either 1% calf serum or 1% dimethyl sulfoxide/1% calf serum compared to serum-free cultures.     

Vero细胞微载体培养的化学成分明确无血清培养基的设计

目的：设计适用于Vero细胞微载体培养的化学成分明确无血清培养基。方法：以商品化的DMEM／F12合成培养基为基础培养基,应用Plackett—Burman实验设计和响应面分析法设计支持Vero细胞微载体培养的化学成分明确无血清培养基。结果：以细胞密度为评价指标,在单因素实验的基础上采用Plackett-Burman实验设计考察10种培养基添加成分对Vero细胞生长的影响,确定了3种对Vero细胞生长起明显促进作用的培养基添加成分,为胰岛素、血清素和腐胺。继而利用响应面法分析了这3种添加成分的最佳水平范围,设计了一种支持Vero细胞贴附培养的无血清培养基（VERO—SFM—A）。在Bellco搅拌式培养瓶中采用VERO-SFM．A和Cytodex1微载体培养Vero细胞,细胞密度由接种时的4×10^5cells／ml增加到培养6d后的22．3×10^cells／ml,细胞活力保持在96％以上。结论：VERO—SFM—A能够有效地支持Vero细胞在微载体表面固定化生长并达到较高的细胞密度,具有实际应用于Vero细胞微载体规模化培养的应用潜力。     

Attachment characteristics of normal human cells and virus-infected cells on microcarriers

The attachment kinetics of normal and virus-infected LuMA cells were studied to improve the production of live attenuated varicella viruses in human embryonic lung (LuMA) cells. Normal LuMA cells and LuMA cells infected by varicella virus at various cytopathic effects (CPE) were grown on microcarriers. Ninety-three percent of suspended LuMA cells attached to the solid surface microcarriers within fifteen minutes and cell viability was greater than 95% when the cell suspension was stirred. Low serum levels did not affect the attachment rate of virus-infected cells in the microcarrier culture system. Kinetic studies showed that varicella infected cells had a lower attachment rate than normal LuMA cells. Virus inoculum (= infected cells) at low CPE showed a relatively better attachment rate on cell-laden microcarriers than virus inoculum at a higher CPE. Maximum titers were obtained at 2 days post-infection. Based on cell densities, the use of viral inoculum showing a 40% CPE led to an approximately 2- and 1.2-fold increase in the cell associated and in cell free viruses, respectively, than a virus inoculum with a CPE of 10%.However, the ratio of cell-free to cell-associated virus in a microcarrier culture was very low, approximately0.04–0.06. These studies demonstrate that the virus inoculum resulting in a high CPE yielded a high production of cell-associated and cell-free virus in microcarrier cultures because of the high cellular affinity of the varicella virus. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Low-serum medium development for human diploid fibroblast microcarrier cultures

A new medium supplement mixture, PPRF92, has been developed to enable the serial subculture of human diploid fibroblasts (MRC-5 cells) on microcarriers. Furthermore, the PPRF92 supplements enable cell growth at serum levels as low as 1%. Through an optimization programme, the PPRF92 supplements have evolved into a simple mixture with the concentrations of key components at a level that makes the overall cost very competitive with medium containing 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS). Furthermore, the PPRF92 supplement mixture is most efficacious when FBS is replaced with the cheaper, and more widely available, adult bovine serum (ABS). Although medium exchange with serum is necessary in order to achieve confluence on microcarriers, the PPRF92 mixture is only necessary at the initiation of each passage. Using the medium replinishment protocol that has been developed in our laboratory, MRC-5 cells were successfully serially passaged through 13 bead-to-bead transfers on microcarriers in DMEM/F12 medium enriched with the PPRF92 supplement mixture reported here, and 1% ABS.Correspondence to: L. A. Behie     

The extended serial subculture of human diploid fibroblasts on microcarriers using a new medium supplement formulation

Human diploid fibroblasts serially passaged on microcarriers exhibit a decrease in their proliferative capacity with each transfer from microcarrier-to-microcarrier. This phenomenon, which does not occur in the same time scale with cells cultured in T-flasks, has been a serious barrier to the systematic utilization of microcarriers in the scale-up of anchorage-dependent human diploid cell cultures. This decreases in cell growth with each passage is shown to be related to the serum content of the medium, with high serum concentrations resulting in a more rapid decrease in cell growth with each serial transfer. As a result, methods for reducing the serum requirement of the cells were investigated. A new medium supplement mixture, PPRF92, has been developed, which allows the serial passaging of MRC5 cells on Cytodex 1 microcarriers through as many as 13 microcarrier-to-microcarrier tranfers, and at a serum levels as low as 1%, with no decrease in the proliferative capacity of the cells until they approach their reported population doubling limit. This new supplement mixture is a significant improvement to microcarrier technology in that it enables the use of microcarriers in the early stages of inocculum build-up for the production purposes. (c) 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Growth of endothelial and HeLa cells on a new multipurpose microcarrier that is positive,negative or collagen coated

A new cell culture microcarrier that can be covalently bonded by cell attachment proteins and can be thin-sectioned for electron microscopy was synthesized. It was easily made by sulfonating cross-linked polystyrene beads for a negative surface charge followed by covalent attachment of polyethylenimine for a positive charge. Cell attachment proteins, e.g. collagen, was covalently bonded directly to the microcarrier using a carbodiimide or after activating the microcarrier surface with glutaraldehyde. HeLa-S3 cells attached, spread and grew to confluence more efficiently on the positive microcarriers and those coated with collagen than on the negative ones. Endothelial cells grew best on those with a negative surface charge. The nature of the microcarrier surface was not the only aspect involved in cell adhesion but also the type of serum proteins adsorbed. Qualitatively different proteins coated the microcarriers depending upon whether the carrier was negative, positive or coated with collagen. Comparison of various types of available microcarriers indicated that the modified cross-linked polystyrene beads used here were best for transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Endothelial cells grown on the microcarriers had the same ultrastructure as cells grown in monolayers in culture dishes. Of a variety of microcarriers tested the modified cross-linked polystyrene beads were the only ones that could be used for both ultrastructural and biochemical techniques.     

Growth in serum-free medium of human colonic adenocarcinoma cell lines on microcarriers: A two-step method allowing optimal cell spreading and growth

Summary Human colonic adenocarcinoma cells have been successfully grown on polystyrene microcarriers by modifying the culture conditions used in monolayer culture. The method can be divided into two culture phases: a) a phase of spreading, wherein cells were seeded in presence of serum-supplemented medium; b) a phase of active growth wherein spread cells on the beads were allowed to grow in a serum-free medium. Under these conditions, optimal spreading and growth of HT 29 and HRT 18 cells on the microcarriers were obtained. A differential propagation was observed between HT 29-D4 and HT 29-D9 cells (both clonal populations derived from HT 29 cells) on the microcarriers that is tentatively related to the discrepancy observed in the spreading efficiency of these clonal cells on serum-coated culture flasks. An index of spreading efficiency (IS index) has been defined to quantify the efficiency of spreading of each cell line on microcarriers. These data gave the opportunity to develop serum-free, scale-up methods to culture cells like HT 29 which release potentially useful products. This work was supported by CNRS (U.A. 202 and U.A. 1186), Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNCLCC), INSERM (CRE, n^o 847006), CNAMTS-INSERM (8386), MRT (GBM 85M0564) and l'Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer (ARC 86-234).     

HeLa cell adhesion to microcarriers in high shear conditions: evidence for membrane receptors for collagen but not laminin or fibronectin

HeLa-S3 cells were analyzed for their ability to attach and spread on cell culture microcarriers that were made either positively or negatively charged with polymeric plastics or were coated with BSA, gelatin, fibronectin or laminin. The cells stuck to all microcarriers under low shear, i.e. low stirring conditions with similar rates of attachment. Except in the case of gelatin microcarriers where cells fully spread, cells did not or only partially spread on the others. Under high shear, cells attached with the following rates: positive = negative = gelatin = BSA greater than laminin greater than fibronectin. Cells detached from all but the gelatin and BSA coated beads. However, the cells did not fully spread on BSA beads. The observation that cells not only attached but also spread on gelatin beads indicated that gelatin could be a specific substratum adhesion protein while the other surfaces were 'non-specific'. It should be noted that neither antibodies to laminin nor fibronectin interfered with attachment to gelatin. Protein synthesis inhibitors reduced the attachment and spreading on gelatin beads under high but not low shear conditions. With low shear, attachment and spreading appeared normal. We concluded that the density of the cell surface attachment proteins was reduced by the protein synthesis inhibitors and there were not enough present to facilitate attachment under high shear. The results also indicated that protein synthesis was not essential for cell spreading. Proteolysis of the cell surface with low concentrations of trypsin abolished the attachment of cells to gelatin-coated beads. The reappearance of attachment ability took several hours and was inhibited by actinomycin-D.     

Hybridoma cell growth and anti-neuroblastoma monoclonal antibody production in spinner flasks using a protein-free medium with microcarriers

The main disadvantages of foetal calf serum as the world-wide common serum supplement for cell growth are its content of various proteins of variable concentrations between batches as well as its high cost. The use of serum-free and protein-free media is gradually becoming one of the goals of cell culture especially for standardizing culture conditions or for simple purification of cell products like monoclonal antibodies. The mouse hybridoma cells 14/2/1 were cultivated either in protein-free UltraDOMA medium or in serum-containing RPMI medium with and without microcarriers to generate high quantities of monoclonal antibodies against neuroblastoma tumour cells. Cell growth rate, IgG production, viability, glucose and lactate concentrations, attachment rate and doubling time have been used as investigation criteria. Modifications of culture procedures (static or stirred), inoculum density, and microcarrier concentration caused an improvement of monoclonal antibody production. The kinetics of antibody synthesis was best in spinner culture with 2 ml of microcarriers in protein-free medium. These results of short-term microcarrier culture in stirred spinner flasks indicate that IgG yields in protein-free medium 2.5-fold higher to those in serum-supplemented medium can be achieved.     

Attachment of marine sponge cells of Hymeniacidon perleve on microcarriers

Toward the development of an in vitro cultivation of marine sponge cells for sustainable production of bioactive metabolites, the attachment characteristics of marine sponge cells of Hymeniacidon perleve on three types of microcarriers, Hillex, Cytodex 3, and glass beads, were studied. Mixed cell population and enriched cell fractions of specific cell types by Ficoll gradient centrifugation (6%/8%/15%/20%) were also assessed. Cell attachment ratio (defined as the ratio of cells attached on microcarrier to the total number of cells in the culture) on glass beads is much higher than that on Cytodex 3 and Hillex for both mixed cell population and cell fraction at Ficoll 15-20% interface. The highest attachment ratio of 41% was obtained for the cell fraction at Ficoll 15-20% interface on glass beads, which was significantly higher than that of a mixed cell population (18%). The attachment kinetics on glass beads indicated that the attachment was completed within 1 h. Cell attachment ratio decreases with increase in cell-to-microcarrier ratio (3-30 cells/bead) and pH (7.6-9.0). The addition of serum and BSA (bovine serum albumin) reduced the cell attachment on glass beads.     

Ex vivo expansion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells using microcarrier beads in a stirred bioreactor

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs) have recently gained attention as a useful resource in the fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. However, the number of bmMSCs obtained from available donors is very low. Here we developed a culture strategy for in vitro expansion of bmMSCs in a 1.5 L stirred bioreactor with microcarrier beads. First, the microcarriers (Cytodex 3) were equilibrated in culture medium containing 3% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for at least 30 min prior to cell addition. After inoculation, the FBS concentration of the medium was maintained at 3% (v/v) in the first 24 h and thereafter maintained at 1% (v/v) and a developed feeding regimen was applied over 5 days. The maximum cell density of 2.6 × 10⁶ cells/mL was achieved at day 5, corresponding to a 10.4 ± 0.8 fold increases in total cell number. Among the harvested cells, 98.95% expressed CD29 and 84.48% expressed CD90, suggesting that the majority of expanded bmMSCs still retained their differentiation potential. Therefore, the developed microcarrier-based stirred bioreactor culture system is an effective method to generate significant numbers of bmMSCs for potential applications and research studies.     

组成型过量表达hTERT对Vero细胞体外培养生物学特性的影响

目的：考察组成型过量表达人端粒酶催化亚单位（hTERT）对Vero细胞在无血清培养体系中的细胞形态、生长和代谢的影响。方法：以组成型过量表达hTERT的Vero细胞系T1为研究对象,以活细胞密度和细胞活力为主要观察指标,结合细胞形态和贴附伸展动态,考察T1细胞和野生型Vero细胞在静止贴附培养、微载体固定化培养和悬浮培养体系中的细胞生长;以葡萄糖比消耗速率（qglc）、乳酸比生成速率（qlac）、乳酸转化率（Ylac/glc）和谷氨酰胺比消耗率（qgin）为反映细胞代谢的主要观察指标,考察T1细胞和野生型Vero细胞在静止贴附培养、微载体固定化培养的细胞代谢。结果：hTERT组成型过量表达在降低Vero细胞的贴附伸展能力和对血清的依赖程度的同时,提高了细胞无血清批次培养后期的细胞活力和活细胞密度,并赋予了T1非贴附依赖性生长的能力。hTERT组成型过量表达未对Vero细胞的代谢产生明显的影响。结论：hTERT组成型过量表达可降低Vero细胞的贴附生长依赖性和对血清的依赖程度,是有应用潜力的改良哺乳动物细胞体外培养性状的技术途径。     

Culture of epithelial cell lines in chemically defined media on microcarriers in biogenerators

A rat liver epithelial cell line has been propagated on microcarriers in 11 or 21 laboratory culture vessels for cell culture in suspension on microcarriers (biogenerators) with Ham F10 or DME as basal synthetic culture medium either serum-supplemented (SSM), or serum-free (SFM), or serum- and protein-free (SPFM). Without serum, the use of DME allows a cellular growth in the biogenerator at least equivalent to that obtained in culture dishes. For the cultivation on microcarriers in SFM in a biogenerator the use during the first day of culture of spent serum-free medium previously incubated (SFMI) in confluent culture dishes avoids the substratum treatment with serum. Results concerning the Vero cell line cultured in SPFM are shown.     

Spatial distribution of mammalian cells grown on macroporous microcarriers with improved attachment kinetics.

Vero and HepG2 cells were cultivated on macroporous gelatin microcarriers prepared by the calcium carbonate inclusion method. Cell attachment to these microcarriers was slow. For HepG2 cells the subsequent growth was poor. Modification of the microcarriers by incorporation of (diethylamino)ethyl-HCl improved HepG2 attachment and subsequent growth. Optical sectioning with confocal microscopy allowed visualization of the distribution of cells within microcarriers. In most microcarriers, cells were found to preferentially populate regions close to the external surface and some cavities in the interior. Despite the incomplete occupancy of the interior of the microcarriers, high cell concentrations were achieved.     

Microcarrier culture of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells for production of human immune interferon and human tissue-type plasminogen activator

Summary Recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells were successfully cultured semi-continuously on microcarriers of gelatin or modified dextran under non-selective conditions for up to three weeks. High and constant production rates for human immune interferon and tissue-type plasminogen activator were obtained. For cells that produced interferon, the highest cell concentration and interferon production was obtained with gelatin microcarriers though the specific production when grown in the presence of 0.2% fetal calf serum was slightly higher for cells cultured on dextran microcarriers (0.12 U/cell day versus 0.11 U/cell day). For cells that produced plasminogen activator, a slightly higher cell concentration was obtained for cells grown on dextran microcarriers (9x10⁵ cells/ml versus 7x10⁵ cells/ml). However, the specific and total production rates were significantly higher for cells cultured on gelatin microcarriers (6.7 pg/cell day versus 2.1 pg/cell day). The maximum cell concentration and specific production rate could be increased to 2.3x10⁶ cells/ml and 3.4 pg/cell day for dextran microcarriers by adding 6-aminohexanoic acid to the medium. For gelatin microcarriers, the addition of 6-aminohexanoic acid increased the specific production rate to 14.4 pg/cell day. Cell growth, however, was inhibited.     

Modulation of cell attachment to culture support by pH, fibronectin, hemin, and cobalt protoporphyrin

When chick embryo fibroblasts were seeded in the presence of minimum essential medium supplemented with 1% (v/v) horse serum, the rate of cell attachment, after 1 hr incubation, was less than 5% at pH 6.5 and about 50% and 80% at pH 7.5 and pH 8.3, respectively. If, however, cultures were pretreated with fibronectin, a substance that promotes cell adhesion, a high rate of cell attachment was also observed at pH 6.5. Two other compounds of totally different chemical nature, cobalt-protoporphyrin (CoPP) and hemin, also enhanced cell attachment at pH 6.5. CoPP was shown to increase the synthesis of proteins, but it did not affect the intracellular heme content of cells incubated at pH 6.5. The possibility that CoPP, and presumably also hemin, induce cell attachment by promoting the synthesis of a fibronectin like protein is discussed.     

A mechanistic analysis of the inoculum requirement for the cultivation of mammalian cells on microcarriers

For the cultivation of mammalian cells on microcarriers a minimum inoculum concentration is required to initiate cell attachment and subsequent cell growth. A critical cell number model has been proposed to elucidate the mechanism of the inoculum requirement. In this model it was hypothesized that after inoculation a critical number of cells per microcarrier is required for normal growth to occur; failure to acquire enough cells will impede cell growth. This critical cell number model was expressed mathematically and used to simulate cell distribution and growth on microcarriers under different cultivation conditions. By comparing the simulated growth kinetics with the experimental results, the actual critical cell number per microcarrier was identified. The critical number could be reduced by employing an improved medium for the cultivation.