Table 1.
Suitability and properties of different culture vessels for T cell expansion.
| Cell culture vessels | Gas exchange | Volume of media | Cell concentration | Disadvantages | Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiwell plates/flasks (static cultures) | Limited | Limited: low ratio of medium to surface area | Low | High risk of contamination | Suitable for small-scale cell production |
| Extensive processing time | |||||
| Frequent interventions | |||||
| Not scalable | |||||
| Gas-permeable bags (static cultures) | Good | Limited: low ratio of medium to surface area | Medium | Low output per bag requires constant culture maintenance | Sterility of closed system |
| Limited microscopic cell examination | |||||
| Not linearly scalable from research to production | |||||
| G-Rex (gas-permeable static cultures) | Excellent | Unrestricted: high ratio of medium to surface area | High | Limited microscopic cell examination | Excellent O2 exchange |
| Linearly scalable from research to large-scale production | |||||
| Significantly reduced culture manipulation | |||||
| Compatible with closed system | |||||
| Wave action bioreactors with CO2/O2 aeration & pH controllers (dynamic cultures) | Good | Unrestricted: high medium capacity in each bag | High | Complex, costly, requires special equipment. | Excellent O2 exchange yields large cell numbers |
| Not well suited to coculture stage of CTL production | |||||
| Requires constant culture maintenance. Limited microscopic cell examination | Closed system | ||||
| Not linearly scalable from research to large-scale production | |||||