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A Hollow fiber bioreactor is a 3 dimensional cell culturing system based on hollow fibers, which are small, semi-permeable capillary membranes arranged in parallel array with a typical molecular weight cut-off range of 10-30 kDa. These hollow fiber membranes are often bundled and housed within tubular polycarbonate shells to create hollow fiber bioreactor cartridges. Within the cartridges, which are also fitted with inlet and outlet ports, are two compartments: the intracapillary space within the hollow fibers, and the extracapillary space surrounding the hollow fibers.
Cells are seeded into the EC space of the hollow fiber bioreactor and expand there. Cell culture medium is pumped through the IC space and delivers oxygen and nutrients to the cells via hollow fiber membrane perfusion. As the cells expand, their waste products and CO2 also perfuse the hollow fiber membranes and are carried away by the pumping of medium through the IC space. As waste products build up due to increased cell mass, the rate of medium flow can also be increased so that cell growth is not inhibited by waste product toxicity.
Because thousands of hollow fibers may be packed into a single hollow fiber bioreactor, they increase the surface area of the cartridge considerably. As a result, cells can fill up the EC space to densities >10 cells/ml. However, the cartridge itself takes up a very small volume. The fact that hollow fiber bioreactors are very small and yet enable incredibly high cell densities has led to their development for both research and commercial applications, including monoclonal antibody and influenza vaccine production. Likewise, because hollow fiber bioreactors use up significantly less medium and growth factors than traditional cell culture methods such as stirred-tank bioreactors, they offer a significant cost savings. Finally, hollow fiber bioreactors are sold as single-use disposables, resulting in significant time savings for laboratory staff and technicians.