In order to generate large numbers of viable and functional human cells for transplantation, regulation of the culture conditions is imperative. Depletion of nutrients, along with buildup of metabolic waste are major contributors to senescence and metabolic changes that reduce the quality of the cell product1–3. This procedure demonstrates a method to culture mammalian cells in spheroids using a stirred bioreactor combined with an adjusted rate perfusion feeding system to regulate glucose in a physiological range4 throughout the duration of the culture. For the purpose of these studies, the physiological range was defined as between 100 and 200 mg/dl. The same methods can be used to regulate other nutrients and metabolic wastes such as lactate.
Static cultures in small volumes (1 - 30 ml) are typically used in the laboratory setting to maintain and differentiate cell lines for experimental purposes. Cell passaging is performed with complete medium changes as needed at regular intervals. Most “conventional” culture medium has a high glucose concentration (450 mg/dl for DMEM used in these studies) to allow for less frequent medium changes without the risk of nutrient limitations. However, this batch-feeding method still requires frequent manipulation, introduces variability in the cell environment, and increases the risk of contamination5–9. Stirred suspension bioreactors (SSB) provide better mixing and decreased handling3,10–20, but like static cultures, require manual medium changes that contribute to potentially damaging fluctuations in nutrient and waste product levels. Perfusion feeding of SSB cultures reduces these problems by continuous infusion and removal of medium, but large changes in nutrient levels due to cell growth remain an issue. The use of an adjusted feeding rate from calculations of nutrient usage based on estimated cell requirements can provide the stable cell environment required to optimize cell viability and function21–24.
There is a large body of literature describing methods for scalable SSB cultures of mammalian cells specifically for culture and expansion of pluripotent cells25–32, with others focused on islet (beta) cells17,33,34, or production of biological products24,35–38. Many of these investigated cell types may be grown in spheroid cultures, and specific procedures for the cell type being used should be optimized prior to implementing a continuous feeding system. In this demonstration, a perfusion feeding method was used to expand a beta cell line grown as spheroids in a stirred bioreactor39–43. The method described herein provides a straightforward implementation of feeding rate adjustments based on off-line glucose measurements to achieve targeted culture conditions. Adjusting the feed rate with this method to maintain a physiological glucose level is shown to increases cell yields. Mammalian cells are dependent on a key nutrient, glucose, for energy production, so the use of this cell line represents a model for many cultured mammalian cells44. In addition, this line exemplifies the further complexity of beta cells, which are sensitive to chronic high levels of glucose45. For this study, β-TC6 cells were allowed to form spheroids in culture to approximate the average size of islets of Langerhans in vivo. The perfusion bioreactor system17–19,21,46 with a feed rate adjusted to glucose consumption, resulted in maintaining physiological conditions and higher cell yields without changes in viability.