A COMPARISON OF LARGE-SCALE SF9 INSECT-CELL GROWTH AND PROTEIN-PRODUCTION - STIRRED VESSEL VS AIRLIFT

A simple and relatively inexpensive stirred-vessel system for the larg e-scale growth of insect cells (Sf9) is described. Sf9 cell growth in a stirred-vessel fermentor and an airlift fermentor were compared on t he basis of maximum cell density and average population doubling time. Also, both fermentor systems were compared with respect to the large- scale production of a recombinant human protein (protein kinase C-eta) . No significant differences in Sf9 cell growth or protein expression levels were apparent between the two fermentor systems. However, large differences in cost and scale-up of each system are discussed with re spect to the large-scale production of recombinant proteins.