MONITORING OF MAMMALIAN-CELL GROWTH AND VIRUS PRODUCTION PROCESS USING ONLINE OXYGEN-UPTAKE RATE MEASUREMENT

Porcine epithelial cells were cultivated on microspheres with an avera ge diameter of 35 mu m in a stirred tank bioreactor for virus producti on. The oxygen uptake rare (OUR) was determined on-line by a dynamic m ethod. This on-line measurement was used to estimate glucose consumpti on rate for perfusion rate adjustment. Using this on-line technique, t he time points for virus infection and harvest were also determined. A fter virus infection, the OUR continued to increase until it reached a maximum. Subsequently, the OUR decreased rapidly as a result of a dec rease of cell metabolic activities or cell lysis caused by virus produ ction. The peak of OUR was correlated to the maximum virus titer. On-l ine OUR monitoring is easy to implement and is a powerful tool for mon itoring the virus infection process.