Analysis of cell‐to‐bubble attachment in sparged bioreactors in the presence of cell‐protecting additives

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Abstract
To investigate the mechanisms of cell protection provided by medium additives against animal cell injury in sparged bioreactors, we have analyzed the effect of various additives on the cell-to-bubble attachment process using CHO cells in suspension. Cell-to-bubble attachment was examined using three experimental techniques: (1) cell-bubble induction time analysis (cell-to-bubble attachment times); (2) forming thin liquid films and observing the movement and location of cells in the thin films; and (3) foam flotation experiments. The induction times we measured for the various additives are as follows: no additive (50 to 500 ms), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP: 20 to 500 ms), polyethylene glycol (PEG: 200 to 1000 ms), 3% serum (500 to 1000 ms), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA: 2 to 10 s), Pluronic F68 (5 to 20 s), and Methocel (20 to 60 s). In the thin film formation experiments, cells in medium with either F68, PVA, or Methocel quickly flowed out of draining thin liquid films and entered the plateau border. When using media with no additive or with serum, the flow of cells out of the thin liquid film and film drainage were slower than for media containing Pluronic F68. PVA, or Methocel. With PVP and PEG, the thin film drainage was much slower and cells remained trapped in the film. For the foam flotation experiments, a separation factor (ratio of cell concentration in the foam catch to that in the bubble column) was determined for the various additives. In the order of increasing separation factors (i.e., increasing cell attachment to bubbles), the additives are as follows: Methocel, PVA, Pluronic F68, 3% serum, serum-free medium with no additives, PEG, and PVP. Based on the results of these three different cell-to-bubble attachment experiments, we have classified the cell-protecting additives into three groups: (1) Pluronic F68, PVA, and Methocel (reduced cell-to-bubble attachment); (2) PEG and PVP (high or increased cell-to-bubble attachment); and (3) FBS (reduced cell attachment butslower drainage films compared with F68, PVA, and Methocel with some cell entrapment in those films). These phenomena are discussed in relation to the interfacial properties of the media reported in a companion Study (this issue). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons Inc.