The fact that hollow fiber bioreactors are very small and yet enable incredibly high cell densities has led to their development for both research and commercial applications, including monoclonal antibody and influenza vaccine[1] production.
Finally, hollow fiber bioreactors are sold as single-use disposables, resulting in significant time savings for laboratory staff and technicians.
In 1972, the Richard Knazek[2] group at the NIH reported how mouse fibroblasts cultured on 1.5 cm3 hollow fiber capillary membranes composed of cellulose acetate were able to form 1 mm-wide nodules in 28 days.
Similar to a mammalian lung, the gas exchange cartridge efficiently oxygenated the culture medium, allowing the bioreactor to support higher numbers of cells.
Optimal IC and EC space perfusion rates must be achieved in order to efficiently deliver media nutrients and growth supplements, respectively, and to collect supernatant.
More specifically, the IC media perfusion rate is increased to provide additional glucose and oxygen to the cells while continually removing metabolic wastes such as lactic acid.
With the introduction of hybridoma technology in 1975,[6] cell culture could be applied towards the generation of secreted proteins such as monoclonal antibodies, growth hormones, and even some categories of vaccines.
Hollow fiber bioreactors are used to generate high concentrations of cell-derived products including monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, growth factors, viruses and virus-like particles.
Doing so saves on growth factor costs because a significant portion of the cell culture media does not require the addition of expensive components like fetal bovine serum.