title: Flow characterization of a spinner flask for induced pluripotent stem cell culture application.
abstract: We present detailed quantitative measurement analyses for flow in a spinner flask with spinning rates between 20 to 45 RPM, utilizing the optical velocimetry measurement technique of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). A partial section of the impeller was immersed in the working fluid to reduce the shear forces induced on the cells cultured on microcarriers. Higher rotational speeds improved the mixing effect in the medium at the expense of a higher shear environment. It was found that the mouse induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells achieved the optimum number of cells over 7 days in 25 RPM suspension culture. This condition translates to 0.0984 Pa of maximum shear stress caused by the interaction of the fluid flow with the bottom surface. However, inverse cell growth was obtained at 28 RPM culture condition. Such a narrow margin demonstrated that mouse iPS cells cultured on microcarriers are very sensitive to mechanical forces. This study provides insight to biomechanical parameters, specifically the shear stress distribution, for a commercially available spinner flask over a wide range of Reynolds number.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Mohd-Zulhilmi
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Ismadi
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fouras
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; South Australian Research and Development Institute, Rosedale, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jadhav
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Jayesh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bellare
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hourigan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D019149:Bioreactors; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D012212:Rheology