HEK 293 cell suspension culture using fibronectin-adsorbed polymer nanospheres in serum-free medium

J Biomed Mater Res A. 2004 Oct 1;71(1):128-33. doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.30141.

Abstract

Previously, we reported on suspension culture of anchorage-dependent animal cells using plain polymer nanospheres in serum-containing medium. For commercial cell culture, it is more advantageous to use serum-free medium than serum-containing medium. To culture anchorage-dependent animal cells using polymer nanospheres in serum-free medium, the nanospheres need to be coated with cell adhesion proteins. In this study, we utilized fibronectin-adsorbed polymer nanospheres for suspension culture of anchorage-dependent animal cells in serum-free medium. Fibronectin was adsorbed onto poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanospheres (433 nm in average diameter) by immersing the nanospheres in fetal bovine serum. The nanospheres were used to culture human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells in serum-free medium in stirred suspension bioreactors. Nanospheres attached between HEK 293 cells and promoted cell aggregate formation compared with culture without nanospheres. Most cells in the aggregates were viable over a 10-day culture period. Importantly, the use of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanospheres promoted the cell growth significantly, compared with culture without nanospheres (3.8- vs 1.8-fold growth). The nanosphere culture method developed in this study removes the time-consuming and costly process of adaptation of anchorage-dependent animal cells to suspension culture in serum-free medium. This culture method may be useful for the large-scale suspension culture of various types of anchorage-dependent animal cells in serum-free medium.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bioreactors
  • Cattle
  • Cell Aggregation
  • Cell Culture Techniques*
  • Cell Line
  • Culture Media, Serum-Free*
  • Fibronectins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lactic Acid / chemistry
  • Lactic Acid / metabolism
  • Materials Testing
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes / ultrastructure
  • Polyglycolic Acid / chemistry
  • Polyglycolic Acid / metabolism
  • Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Polymers / metabolism*

Substances

  • Culture Media, Serum-Free
  • Fibronectins
  • Polymers
  • Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer
  • Polyglycolic Acid
  • Lactic Acid