Cell culture for three-dimensional modeling in rotating-wall vessels: An application of simulated microgravity

Abstract
High-density, three-dimensional cell cultures are difficult to grow in vitro. The rotating-wall vessel (RWV) described here has cultured BHK-21 cells to a density of 1.1 × 107 cells/ml. Cells on microcarriers were observed to grow with enhanced bridging in this batch culture system. The RWV is a horizontally rotated tissue culture vessel with silicon membrane oxygenation. This design results in a low-turbulence, low-shear cell culture environment with abundant oxygenation. The RWV has the potential to culture a wide variety of normal and neoplastic cells.