Large-scale cultivation of human iPS cells in bioreactor with reciprocal mixing

Abstract

A substantial number of human iPS cells (hiPSCs) is needed for cell therapy to be successful against various diseases. We previously reported on a bioreactor with reciprocal mixing that produces specific physical properties that differ from those of conventional bioreactors with rotary paddle stirring. Moreover, such reactors not only provide a homogeneous environment but also allow the control of spheroid size by changing the mixing speed. In this study, we applied this bioreactor to the large-scale cultivation of hiPSCs. Approximately 10 billion hiPSCs were obtained from 2.0 L of culture, and the high expression of pluripotency markers was maintained. Our findings indicate that a bioreactor with reciprocal mixing can be used for large-scale hiPSC cultivation.

Keywords: Bioreactor; Human iPS cells; Reciprocal mixing; Shear stress; Suspension culture.