Cell culturing systems, methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. A cell culturing system, comprising:
- a cell culture including cell culture media and a plurality of cells;
a cell culture apparatus containing and maintaining said cell culture; and
a reactor apparatus connected to the cell culture apparatus, the reactor apparatus including a chamber wherein the chamber is an annular gap defined by a rotor and a stator wherein at least a portion of said cell culture is received and is submitted to a shear force in the absence of Taylor vortices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure provides cell-culturing methods, apparatus and systems wherein cells in cell cultures are subjected to novel shear forces, which provide improved and efficient target product production. The shear force is provided by a reactor apparatus connected to a cell culture apparatus by a pump for transporting said cell culture from said cell culture apparatus via a first conduit operably connecting said cell culture apparatus to an inlet of a reactor apparatus. The reactor apparatus includes a chamber wherein the cell culture is received and submitted to a shear force as it passes therethrough. The chamber can include a plurality of filters to retain the cells in the cell culture while collecting cell culture media. A stator and a rotor of the reactor apparatus can define the chamber.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A cell culturing system, comprising:
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a cell culture including cell culture media and a plurality of cells;
a cell culture apparatus containing and maintaining said cell culture; and
a reactor apparatus connected to the cell culture apparatus, the reactor apparatus including a chamber wherein the chamber is an annular gap defined by a rotor and a stator wherein at least a portion of said cell culture is received and is submitted to a shear force in the absence of Taylor vortices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 22)
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11. A method for culturing cells, comprising:
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providing a cell culture including cells and cell culture media;
providing a cell culturing apparatus into which said cell culture is disposed;
providing a reactor apparatus in operable connection with said a cell culturing apparatus;
removing at least a portion of said cell culture from said cell culturing apparatus to said reactor apparatus;
passing said portion of said cell culture through a chamber provided by a rotor and a stator of said reactor apparatus, wherein either one or both of rotor and stator rotate relative to each other;
subjecting said portion of said cell culture to a shear force within said chamber, said shear force provided by rotation of either or both said rotor and stator and in the absence of Taylor vortices; and
returning said portion of said cell culture to said cell culturing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23)
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24. A reactor apparatus for cell culturing, comprising:
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a stator having a generally cylindrical shape;
a rotor having a generally cylindrical shape, the rotor being located within the stator;
the inside surface of the stator and the outside surface of the rotor defining an annular gap having a gap width;
wherein the annular gap is adapted to receive a cell culture medium containing cells;
wherein the rotor is adapted to rotating within the stator, wherein rotation of the rotor imparts a shear force to the cells; and
wherein the gap width is configured so that as the rotor rotates Taylor vortices are not induced. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A reactor apparatus for cell culturing, comprising:
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a stator having a generally cylindrical shape;
a rotor having a generally cylindrical shape, the rotor being located within the stator;
the inside surface of the stator and the outside surface of the rotor defining an annular gap having a gap width;
wherein the annular gap is adapted to receive a cell culture medium containing cells;
wherein the cell culture medium has a viscosity and a fluid density;
wherein the rotor is adapted to rotating within the stator, wherein rotation of the rotor imparts a shear force to the cells; and
wherein the gap width, rotation speed of the rotor and radius of the rotor are chosen in view of the cell culture viscosity and fluid density so that as the rotor rotates Taylor vortices are not induced.
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29. A method for culturing cells, comprising:
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providing a cell culture including cells and a cell culture medium wherein the cell culture medium has a viscosity and a fluid density;
providing a reactor apparatus including a stator having a generally cylindrical shape and a rotor having a generally cylindrical shape, the rotor being located within the stator and the inside surface of the stator and the outside surface of the rotor defining an annular gap having a gap width wherein the annular gap is adapted to receive a cell culture medium containing cells;
rotating the rotor within the stator, whereby the rotation of the rotor imparts a shear force to the cells; and
providing a gap width, rotation speed of the rotor and radius of the rotor as a function of the cell culture viscosity and fluid density so that as the rotor rotates Taylor vortices are not induced.
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Specification