THE SUPER-SPINNER - A LOW-COST ANIMAL-CELL CULTURE BIOREACTOR FOR THECO2 INCUBATOR

The production of small quantities of monoclonal antibodies and recomb inant proteins was carried out using a new low cost production system, the Super Spinner. Into a 1 1 standard Duran(R) flask a membrane stir rer equipped with a polypropylene hollow fiber membrane was installed to improve the oxygen supply by bubble-free aeration. The aeration was facilitated by using the CO2 conditioned incubator gas, which was pum ped through the membrane stirrer via a small membrane pump. The maxima l oxygen transfer rate (OTR(max)) of the Super Spinner was detected. F or this purpose one spinner flask was equipped with an oxygen electrod e. The OTR(max) was measured by the dynamic method. The ratio of membr ane length to culture volume was adapted corresponding to the oxygen u ptake rate of the cells according to the desired cell density. A balan ced nutrient supply resulted in an optimal formation and yield of prod ucts.