A stimulation unit for the application of mechanical strain on tissue engineered anulus fibrosus cells: a new system to induce extracellular matrix synthesis by anulus fibrosus cells dependent on cyclic mechanical strain.

A bioreactor system consisting of a multifunctional stimulation unit and common 6-well culture plate is introduced to activate extracellular matrix synthesis in intervertebral disc cells due to cyclic mechanical strain. The developed stimulation unit is sterilizable and reusable. It is viable for cultivation and mechanical stimulation of cartilage tissue and tissue engineered cell matrix constructs in combination with the common 6-well culture plate.

Experimental and modelling study of different process modes for retroviral production in a fixed bed reactor.

Pseudotype vectors are promising for gene transfer in many gene therapy approaches, however, low-vector concentration in batch cultures and high temperature-dependent decay do limit sufficiently large-scale production. To overcome these obstacles, the kinetic relations of cell growth and vector formation in different culture modes need to be understood. Effective optimisation of process modes is needed to achieve sufficient yields.

New generation ceramic membranes have the potential of removing endotoxins from dialysis water and dialysate.

Poor water properties, use of concentrated bicarbonate, and biofilm growth in pipes and storage tanks often cause dialysis water and dialysate contamination with bacteria and endotoxins. High-flux dialysis with bicarbonate may favor endotoxin transfer from the dialysate into the blood exposing patients to serious short-and long-term side effects. Ultrafiltration across hydrophobic synthetic membranes effectively removes endotoxins from dialysis water by combined filtration and adsorption.

Feasibility of continuous CO2 removal with hydrophilic membranes at low blood flow rates.

In the conventional treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), high O2 concentrations and mechanical ventilation may damage the lung tissue. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation limits damage, provides the needed O2 supply and improves survival of ARDS neonates, but not of adults. Hydrophilic membranes used in hemodialysis are more non-thrombogenic and biocompatible than those used in blood oxygenation, but their O2 transport capacity is not as high.

Hydrodynamic stimulation and long term cultivation of nucleus pulposus cells: a new bioreactor system to induce extracellular matrix synthesis by nucleus pulposus cells dependent on intermittent hydrostatic pressure.

A novel bioreactor system was constructed to induce extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis by intervertebral disc (ID) cells due to intermittent hydrostatic pressure. The developed system is completely sterilizable and reusable. It is viable for cultivation, immobilization, and stimulation of various other cell types and tissues especially for cartilage.

Experimental study of a ceramic microsparging aeration system in a pilot-scale animal cell culture.

The oxygen supply of cell cultures with the aid of free gas bubbles is an efficient process strategy in pharmaceutical production. If the cell-damaging impact of gas bubbles is reduced, direct aeration becomes a practical solution with scale-up potential and comparatively high oxygen transfer rates. In this paper a microsparging aeration system made of porous ceramic was compared with bubble-free membrane aeration.

Accuracy of automated instruments used in the pharmaceutical industry for integrity testing sterilizing filters.

In the pharmaceutical industry, the integrity of sterile filters is critical to ensure sterility of filtered products. Filter integrity is frequently tested by measuring gas diffusion across water-contacting hydrophobic or hydrophilic membranes with the same automated test devices. Constant device accuracy over the whole range of possible operating conditions is an especially important requirement, as set by the GMP regulations for product critical devices.