UTILIZING THE MACROPOROUS MEDIA FOR INSECT-CELL BACULOVIRUS EXPRESSION - PART 1 - THE ENTRAPMENT KINETICS OF INSECT CELLS WITHIN POROUS PACKED-BED

Due to their bio-compatibility and high porosity, cellulose foam and p olyurethane foam (PUF) were selected as the media to immobilize insect cells for recombinant baculovirus expression. In packed beds, entrapm ent efficiency and axial cell distribution are two prime important par ameters associated with reactor performance. These two parameters were found to be affected by initial cell loading density and liquid circu lation rate. Based on the entrapment kinetic model, the entrapment par ameters as K-0, sigma(m) could be evaluated. The establishment of the correlation between K-0, sigma(m) and Reynolds number, N-Re, described in this study provided convenient tools to achieve an efficient cell entrapment in the packed bed. The appropriated circulation velocity fo r uniform cell distribution was also determined.