Cell culture and life support system for microbioreactor and bioassay.
A microchip-based cell culture system was developed and a primary culture of rat hepatocytes was realized in the system. The microchip was made of glass plates and had a microchannel and a microculture flask inside. The flask inner surface was coated using collagen solution; then FBS and DMEM were added successively. Rat hepatocytes suspended in a medium was introduced into the microchip and incubated at 37 degrees C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO(2). Because of the shortage of dissolved oxygen, the cultured cells in the microchip resulted in a significant decrease in viability. To overcome this, a continuous medium flow oxygen and nutrition supplying system was designed and constructed. The system realized good cell growth for at least 4 days. Liver-specific functions, such as the synthesis of albumin and urea from hepatocytes were confirmed.
Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
Yuki
Y
Tanaka
Kiichi
K
Sato
Masayuki
M
Yamato
Teruo
T
Okano
Takehiko
T
Kitamori
D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D019149:Bioreactors; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D008904:Miniaturization; D051381:Rats; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis
D000418:Albumins; D014508:Urea