title: Inter-microcarrier transfer and phenotypic stability of stem cell-derived Schwann cells in stirred suspension bioreactor culture.
abstract: Emerging bioreactor technologies offer an effective way for scaled-up production of large numbers of cells for cell therapy applications. One of the clinical paradigms where cell therapy can be an asset is restorative neurosciences. Nerve repair can benefit from the injections of stem cells and/or Schwann cells, acting as a source for axon myelination, myelin debris clearance, and trophic support. We have adapted microcarrier-based suspension bioreactor culture for Schwann cells (SCs) differentiated from a new stem cell source - skin-derived precursors (SKPs). SKP-derived SCs attach and grow on different types of microcarriers in both static and stirred culture, with Cytodex 3 and CultiSpher-S found most effective. Inter-microcarrier migration of SKP-SCs represents a key mechanism for rapid expansion and colonization in stirred suspension culture. We have shown that microcarrier-expanded SKP-SCs cells express Schwann cell markers p75-NTR, GFAP and S100 and retain their key ability to myelinate axons both in vitro and in vivo. Scaled-up microcarrier-based production of SKP-SCs in suspension bioreactors appears feasible for timely generation of sufficient cell numbers for nerve repair strategies.
authors: Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. shakhbazau@gmail.com.
authors: Antos
authors: A
authors: Shakhbazau
authors: Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.|Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility (PPRF), Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Mirfeizi
authors: Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility (PPRF), Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.|Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Tylor
authors: T
authors: Walsh
authors: Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility (PPRF), Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Holly M
authors: HM
authors: Wobma
authors: Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.|Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Ranjan
authors: R
authors: Kumar
authors: Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Bhagat
authors: B
authors: Singh
authors: Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility (PPRF), Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.|Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.|Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Kallos
authors: Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors: Rajiv
authors: R
authors: Midha
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D010641:Phenotype; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology
keywords: CultiSpher; Cytodex; Schwann cells; bioreactor; microcarriers; myelination; peripheral nerve; skin precursor cells; stem cells