Microcarrier cultures, cell damage

Fluidized-bed bioreactors are also used mainly for the culture of cells attached to microcarriers. Flowever, in this case, microcarriers with a higher density should be employed. In these bioreactors, a given amount of microcarriers is fluidized inside a compartment of the bioreactor, avoiding cell damage due to bubble explosion. Figure 9.10 (see color section) shows a photograph and an operational scheme of this type of bioreactor. 

Gregoriades, N., J. Clay, N. Ma, K. Koelling, and J.J. Chalmers. 2000. Cell damage of microcarrier cultures as a function of local energy dissipation created by a rapid extensional flow. Biotechnol Bioeng 69 171-182. 

As already discussed, theory and experimental evidence suggest that an increased medium viscosity will reduce damage of cells on microcarriers because of the reduced intensity and frequency of interactions that cause cell damage in micro-carrier cultures. 

Cherry RS, Papoutsakis ET (1988) Physical mechanisms of cell damage in microcarrier cell culture bioreactors. Biotechnol. Bioeng., 32 1001-1014. 

Cell Damage Due to Agitation Intensity in Microcarrier Cultures... 

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