Three-dimensional bioreactor for cell expansion and related applications
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsJian LING, Jeffrey N. HARRIS, Michael J. RUBAL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to the design, fabrication, and applications of a three-dimensional (3D) bioreactor for cell expansion and cell secreted substance production. The bioreactor is composed of non-random interconnected voids providing a continuous three-dimensional surface area for cell adherence and growth.
Claims21
A 3D bioreactor for growth of cells comprising a plurality of voids having a surface area for cell expansion, said plurality of voids having a diameter D, a plurality of pore openings between said voids having a diameter d, such that D>d and wherein:
- (a) 90% or more of said voids have a selected void volume (V) that does not vary by more than +/−10.0%;
- and (b) 90% or more of said pore openings between said voids have a value of d that does not vary by more than +/−10.0%.
A 3D bioreactor for growth of cells comprising a plurality of voids having a surface area for cell expansion, said plurality of voids having a diameter D of greater than 0.4 mm to 100.0 mm, a plurality of pore openings between said voids having a diameter d in the range of 0.2 mm to 10.0 mm, wherein D>d, further characterized in that:
- (a) 90% or more of said voids have a selected void volume (V) that does not vary by more than +/−10.0%;
- and (b) 90% or more of said pore openings between said voids have a value of d that does not vary by more than +/−10.0%, and said 3D bioreactor is formed from a material having a Tensile Modulus of at least 0.01 GPa.
A 3D bioreactor for growth of cells comprising:
- a first and second plurality of voids having a surface area for cell expansion;
- said first plurality of voids having a diameter D1, a plurality of pore openings between said first plurality of voids having a diameter d1, wherein D1>d1, where 90% or more of the first plurality of voids have a void volume (V1) with a tolerance that does not vary by more than +/−10.0%;
- said second plurality of voids having a diameter D2, a plurality of pore openings between said second plurality of voids having a diameter d2 wherein D2>d2, wherein 90% of the second plurality of voids have a void volume (V2) with a tolerance that does not vary by more than +/−10.0%;
- and
- the values of V1 and V2 are different and outside of said tolerance variations such that
- [V1+/−10.0%]≠[V2+/−10.0%].
A method of forming a 3D bioreactor comprising a plurality of voids having a surface area for cell expansion:
- (a) identifying for said plurality of voids a targeted internal void volume (Vt);
- (b) identifying for said 3D bioreactor a targeted surface area (SAt)
- (c) forming said 3D bioreactor with:
- (1) an actual void volume (Va) for said one or more voids, wherein Va is within +/−10.0% of Vt;
- and (2) an actual surface area (SAa) wherein SAa is within +/−10.0% of SAt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.