Heat-sterilizable porous carrier for biocatalysts

• US 5,739,021 A
• Filed: 12/28/1994
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pharmacia Biotech AB (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Bluml, Gerald, Rauschert, Bartold, Zach, Nicolaus, Gaida, Theodor, Reiter, Manfred, Katinger, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Rollins, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRATS, FRANCISCO CHANDLER
• Application Number:
  US08/390,768
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 435/240.23, 435/240.24, 435/240.4, 435/240.48, 435/395, 435/403, 435/410, 435/180, 435/182
• US Class Current: 435/180
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/10 Mineral substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/18 Calcium salts, e.g. apatite, Mineral components from bones, teeth, shells
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/30 Synthetic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0068 General culture methods using substrates for specific animal cell type C12N5/06

Abstract

A porous carrier for biocatalysts (a) comprising a water-insoluble inorganic filler and a polyolefine binder selected from polyethylene and polypropylene, (b) having open pores allowing cells to penetrate and grow within its pores, and (c) having a density above 1 g/cm³.

Claims

1. In a method for culturing cells on a carrier, the improvement comprising a carrier

a) being in particle form exhibiting particles with outwardly open pores allowing the cells to penetrate and grow within the pores;

b) having a density above 1 g/cm³ ; and

c) comprising a water-insoluble filler and a polyolefine binder selected from the group consisting of a high density polyethylene and a high density polypropylene, with said binder allowing heat sterilization of the carrier up to 121°

C.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier particles have a size within the range of 0.1-2.5 mm.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the particles have a lenticular shape with a distance from any interior pore to the surface being less than 0.5 mm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder is a high density polyethylene.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the carrier particles have sizes within the range of 0.1-2.0 mm.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the filler is chalk.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the filler is silica.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the filler is aluminosilicate.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the particles have pores within the range of 1-300μ

.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the ratio filler to polyolefine is 1:

1.5 to 1;

4.5.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein the cells are selected from adherent mammalian cells.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein the cells are selected from non-adherent cells.

13. The method of claim 4 wherein the cells are selected from microorganisms.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the filler is chalk.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the filler is silica.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the filler is aluminosilicate.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the particles have pores within the range of 1-400μ

.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the ratio filler to polyolefine is 1:

1 to 1;

10.