Monsanto Company

Richard C Kimes

Joseph Feder

William R Tolbert

Mary M Hitt

Anchorage-dependent cells are grown in agitated microcarrier suspension in which the cells and microcarriers are aggregated by periodically providing a temporary residence of said microcarriers and cells outside the main cell culture reactor agitation zone and in a separate compartment wherein they are subjected to a gentle tumbling action within a confined space having substantially the same environmental conditions as in the main cell culture reactor.

Method of growing anchorage-dependent cells

A cell culture system and apparatus is provided for the suspension culturing of mammalian cells in which fresh media can be added and spent medium filtered and withdrawn on a continuous or semi-continuous basis without cell disruption. The apparatus comprises a hollow flask assembly having a hollow shaft means journaled for rotation in a stationary sleeve sub-assembly and a filter unit suspended downwardly therefrom, said filter unit being in fluid communication with the top opening of the flask through the interior of said hollow shaft means and adapted for coaxial rotation with said shaft means.

Continuous cell culture system

A cell culture system and apparatus is provided for the suspension culturing of mammalian cells in which fresh media can be added and spent medium filtered and withdrawn on a continuous or semi-continuous basis without any substantial cell disruption and clogging of the filter with cell debris. The apparatus comprises a hollow flask assembly having a stationary hollow shaft means and filter unit suspended downwardly from the top thereof, and a rotatable agitator means concentrically disposed about said filter unit, said filter unit being in fluid communication with the top opening of the flask through the interior of said hollow shaft means.

Growing community of inventors

Creve Coeur, MO, United States of America

Richard C Kimes