HIGH-DENSITY CELL-CULTURE BY MEMBRANE-BASED CELL RECYCLE

Abstract

Enhancement of productivity of a bioprocess necessitates continuous operation of bioreactors with high biomass concentrations than are possible in conventional batch, fed-batch or continuous modes of culture. Membrane-based cell recycle has been effectively used to maintain high cell concentrations in bioreactors. This review compares membrane-based cell recycle operation with other such high density cell culture systems as immobilized cell reactors and reactors with cell recycle by centrifugation or gravity sedimentation. A theoretical of production of primary and secondary metabolites in membrane-based recycle systems is presented. Operation of this type of system is discussed with examples from aerobic and anaerobic fermentations.