Optimizing conditions for expansion of suspension cells

When optimizing conditions to achieve significant expansion of suspension cells, for example expansion of ex-vivo B-Cells, consideration needs to be given to stimulatory media additives but also to the cell culture environment. The latter aspect is not usually investigated due to a widely-held opinion that conventional flask culture devices are the only practicable tools for cell culture in an R&D laboratory.

However, a new type of flask, designed specifically to give uninterrupted cell expansion, is now available: EZ-Flask. The EZ-Flask is designed to make suspension cells proliferate continuously for many days under more favorable conditions compared to T-Flasks, and can give a 40X expansion, from 100 million cells to 4 billion cells,  with only one change of media. Useful for research applications:  antibody production, vaccine research, autoimmune disease research, immunotherapy research.

EZ-Flask (1 Litre) flask with gas exchange membrane at base.

How does EZ-Flask work?

At the base of the EZ-Flask is a gas exchange membrane with a surface area of 200cm2. After inoculation, suspension cells will gravitate to the base of the flask and settle above the gas exchange membrane. Always close to the gas interface, the cells will expand exponentially, without interruption, in a 1 Litre volume of media. With conventional flasks the height of media above the cells restricts the diffusion of oxygen meaning that the amount of media is always very limited. Media height is not a limitation when the flask is equipped with a base gas exchange membrane and so the EZ-Flask can be filled with 1 Litre of media despite its small footprint in the incubator.

EZ-Flask creates a high-density culture environment

After only a few days under the novel culture conditions described above, a dense carpet of suspension cells will be growing at the base of flask of the EZ-Flask. These auto-stimulatory high-density culture conditions cannot be achieved in T-Flasks or multilayer flasks and yet may be the decisive factor for the efficient cultivation of difficult-to-grow cells.

EZ-Flask means less work and stress

The 1 Litre EZ-Flask eliminates the need for passaging large numbers of flasks and tiresome weekend culture work. It also avoids annoying other users of the incubator with multiple space-consuming T-Flasks.

Product details

The EZ-Flask (Cat.# KDW0010) with 1 litre volume and 200cm2 base gas exchange membrane is distributed in Europe by KDBIO.

A question?

Please don’t hesitate to send any questions about using this simple culture device : [email protected]