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Borys BS, Dang T, Worden H, Larijani L, Corpuz JM, Abraham BD, Gysel EJ, Malinovska J, Krawetz R, Revay T, Argiropoulos B, Rancourt DE, Kallos MS, Jung S. Robust bioprocess design and evaluation of commercial media for the serial expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cell aggregate cultures in vertical-wheel bioreactors. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:232. [PMID: 39075528 PMCID: PMC11288049 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03819-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While pluripotent stem cell (PSC) therapies move toward clinical and commercial applications at a rapid rate, manufacturing reproducibility and robustness are notable bottlenecks in regulatory approval. Therapeutic applications of PSCs require large cell quantities to be generated under highly robust, well-defined, and economically viable conditions. Small-scale and short-term process optimization, however, is often performed in a linear fashion that does not account for time needed to verify the bioprocess protocols and analysis methods used. Design of a reproducible and robust bioprocess should be dynamic and include a continuous effort to understand how the process will respond over time and to different stresses before transitioning into large-scale production where stresses will be amplified. METHODS This study utilizes a baseline protocol, developed for the short-term culture of PSC aggregates in Vertical-Wheel® bioreactors, to evaluate key process attributes through long-term (serial passage) suspension culture. This was done to access overall process robustness when performed with various commercially available media and cell lines. Process output variables including growth kinetics, aggregate morphology, harvest efficiency, genomic stability, and functional pluripotency were assessed through short and long-term culture. RESULTS The robust nature of the expansion protocol was demonstrated over a six-day culture period where spherical aggregate formation and expansion were observed with high-fold expansions for all five commercial media tested. Profound differences in cell growth and quality were revealed only through long-term serial expansion and in-vessel dissociation operations. Some commercial media formulations tested demonstrated maintenance of cell growth rates, aggregate morphology, and high harvest recovery efficiencies through three bioreactor serial passages using multiple PSC lines. Exceptional bioprocess robustness was even demonstrated with sustained growth and quality maintenance over 10 serial bioreactor passages. However, some commercial media tested proved less equipped for serial passage cultures in bioreactors as cultures led to cell lysis during dissociation, reduction in growth rates, and a loss of aggregate morphology. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the importance of systematic selection and testing of bioprocess input variables, with multiple bioprocess output variables through serial passages to create a truly reproducible and robust protocol for clinical and commercial PSC production using scalable bioreactor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna S Borys
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- PBS Biotech Inc, 4721 Calle Carga, Camarillo, CA, 93012, USA
| | - Tiffany Dang
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Hannah Worden
- PBS Biotech Inc, 4721 Calle Carga, Camarillo, CA, 93012, USA
| | - Leila Larijani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jessica M Corpuz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Brett D Abraham
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Emilie J Gysel
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Julia Malinovska
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Roman Krawetz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Tamas Revay
- Department of Medical Genetics, Alberta Health Services, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bob Argiropoulos
- Department of Medical Genetics, Alberta Health Services, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Derrick E Rancourt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Michael S Kallos
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sunghoon Jung
- PBS Biotech Inc, 4721 Calle Carga, Camarillo, CA, 93012, USA.
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Bierman-Duquette RD, Safarians G, Huang J, Rajput B, Chen JY, Wang ZZ, Seidlits SK. Engineering Tissues of the Central Nervous System: Interfacing Conductive Biomaterials with Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2101577. [PMID: 34808031 PMCID: PMC8986557 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202101577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Conductive biomaterials provide an important control for engineering neural tissues, where electrical stimulation can potentially direct neural stem/progenitor cell (NS/PC) maturation into functional neuronal networks. It is anticipated that stem cell-based therapies to repair damaged central nervous system (CNS) tissues and ex vivo, "tissue chip" models of the CNS and its pathologies will each benefit from the development of biocompatible, biodegradable, and conductive biomaterials. Here, technological advances in conductive biomaterials are reviewed over the past two decades that may facilitate the development of engineered tissues with integrated physiological and electrical functionalities. First, one briefly introduces NS/PCs of the CNS. Then, the significance of incorporating microenvironmental cues, to which NS/PCs are naturally programmed to respond, into biomaterial scaffolds is discussed with a focus on electrical cues. Next, practical design considerations for conductive biomaterials are discussed followed by a review of studies evaluating how conductive biomaterials can be engineered to control NS/PC behavior by mimicking specific functionalities in the CNS microenvironment. Finally, steps researchers can take to move NS/PC-interfacing, conductive materials closer to clinical translation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gevick Safarians
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Joyce Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Bushra Rajput
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jessica Y. Chen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ze Zhong Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, USA
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