Ex vivo expansion of micro capsulated U937 cells in an external stirred bioreactor

The wide use of stem cells for therapeutic applications requires frequent production of a large number of cells with proper characteristics under controlled conditions in bioreactors. In this study, U937 cells were introduced as a model of floating stem cells inside alginate-gelatin microcapsules with a cell density of 2.5 × 106 cells/ml. The results showed very good growth of microcapsules inside the flask. Microcapsules were cultured in two different bioreactors with different concentrations of oxygen in two perfusion bioreactors with external stirrer loop (PC-ESCT) and bubble column (B.C). The results showed an increase of 9.2 ± 0.9 in the perfusion reactor with the external stirrer, while due to the high stress they were unable to grow properly in the bubble column reactor. The results confirm the suitability of alginate-gelatin microcapsules for the propagation of stem cells in dynamic systems. The perfusion bioreactor with external loop loops, by reducing the shear stress and better oxygen distribution, creates a homogenous and more suitable environment for growth and proliferation of cells.