Gentle, bubble-free methods for oxygenating cells
Oxygenate cells without agitation or bubble-related stress
For ex vivo tissue and high-density mammalian cell cultures, the simultaneous delivery of oxygen and removal of CO2 is fundamental to survival. In the experimental setting this can pose a challenge: bioreactor sparging can be detrimental to shear- sensitive suspension cells; isolated perfused organs require oxygenated perfusate without degradation of red cells; stem cell-based in vitro models require tightly controlled dissolved oxygen tension; CAR-T cells expanded to therapeutic numbers demand the gentlest possible culture conditions; and attachment cells grown at high density for viral vector production depend on uniform oxygenation to sustain replication without compromising yield or vector quality. In each of these settings, conventional gas delivery strategies are either insufficient or actively harmful, and bubble-free oxygenation solutions — whether based on hollow fiber membrane oxygenators, basal gas-exchange membranes, or tide motion aeration cycling — offer a gentler and more precisely controlled alternative.
KDOx hollow fiber oxgenators for flowing media
Hollow fiber oxygenators incorporate a high surface of gas exchange membrane per cartridge volume and provide a compact, efficient and gentle way of oxygenating recirculated culture media. Many hundreds of fibers can be bundled to meet the oxygen demand of high-density or large-scale cultures and KDBIO offers a range of 3 standard cartridge sizes incorporating the latest very thin and very hydrophobic PMP membranes that avoid “weeping”. Media is efficiently oxygenated and simultaneously stripped of CO2. Ideal for perfused organ research and for avoiding sparging in bioreactors growing sensitive stem cells, for example.
Female luer connections on all ports
Adherent cell culture using Tide Motion
Cell culture with Tide Motion combines macroporous carriers with gentle tidal movement of culture media to provide repeated nutrition-aeration cycling over long periods. TideMotion® bioreactors at small, medium and large scale are designed and produced by Esco Lifesciences. Macrocarriers can easily be tested on a rocking platform in a standard incubator. TideMotion® culture facilitates cell recovery, if required.
Suspension cell culture with basal gas-exchange membrane
In conventional static culture flasks, the rate of oxygen diffusion to cells depends on the depth of the culture medium, and medium depth is usually kept at less than 5mm. This means that the volume of media per flask is low and that frequent media changes are required which is a major obstacle to growing large numbers of cells, such as T-Cells or NK-Cells. Incorporating a basal gas exchange membrane, G-rex® culture systems enable cells to remain well oxygenated even under a large height of medium, meaning that suspension cells can be grown continuously to high numbers without the need for media changes.