Cell In a box : Bioreactors

Cell-in-a-Box can be used to protect fragile cells from sheer stress occurring in bioreactors. Products produced by the cells can be easily harvested from the bioreactor since Cell-in-a-Box is a porous structure. Encapsulated cells can also be released from Cell-in-a-Box at the end of the process using Austrianova’s patented cell friendly decapsulation solution

Cell-in-a-Box protects fragile cells from sheer forces

Encapsulated Cells for Bioreactors

Although some cell types such as CHO cells are well adapted to use in bioreactors, many other cells, including stem cells, are too fragile to be grown to high density in bioreactors. These cells need a microenvironment in which they can grow and which protects them from the sheer forces associated with stirred or perfused bioreactors.

Cell-in-a-Box® provides such a microenvironment for fragile cells. The capsules can be vigourously stirred inside a bioreactor and the cells inside are well protected from the sheer forces.

Further, since the capsules are porous, larger molecules are retained within the capsule and only the desired products are released into the media of the bioreactor.

In cases where the aim is to harvest the actual encapsulated cells, we offer a proprietory reagent which allows the capsules to be disintegrated without affecting the cells inside, allowing an easy harvest of free cells after bioreactor growth.

To demonstrate the use of Cell-in-a-Box® technology for protection of stem cells from sheer forces, we have for instance shown that non-encapsulated stem cells are destroyed after short periods of vortexing, whilst encapsulated cells survive easily.

Advantages

Advantages of encapsulating cells for use in bioreactors:

Protects fragile cells from sheer forces
Provides a microenvironment for growth
High density growth possible
Capsules act as a pre-filtration device for produced factors
Cells can be released from filled capsules using a proprietary non-toxic reagent

Cell-in-a-Box