🔧 This innovative bioreactor is modular and customizable, allowing for various cell culture needs.
📊 It optimizes conditions for cell growth, reducing contamination risks and ensuring homogeneity through a novel impeller design.
🚀 Demand for iPSCs is projected to grow significantly by 2030.
Introduction:
This article discusses the development of a fully-automated bioreactor designed to culture human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) for extended periods, representing a significant advancement for therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies have engineered this bioreactor to ensure a continuous supply of hiPSCs, which are vital for various therapeutic endeavors.
- A fully-automated bioreactor has been developed that can culture hiPSCs for up to three months while maintaining their pluripotency.
- The bioreactor’s modular design allows it to be scaled according to customer requirements, with a current standard volume of 100 ml.
- Key innovations include a novel impeller design that promotes homogeneity within the cell culture and minimizes shear stress on the cells.
- The system utilizes a fluid loop for sterile conditions, optimizing environmental parameters such as temperature and carbon dioxide concentration.
- Future goals include miniaturization of the device and applicability for organoid and spheroid cell systems, expanding the range of potential uses for hiPSCs.
Conclusion:
The advancement of a modular, automated bioreactor for hiPSC culture represents a pivotal step in regenerative medicine, addressing the increasing demand for stem cells expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.4% until 2030. This technology not only optimizes culturing conditions, minimizing contamination and maximizing cell yield, but also provides flexibility for various applications, which could have significant implications for both research and therapeutic development in the coming years.
