A versatile platform for three-dimensional dynamic suspension culture applications

In the last decades, the rapid upgrading in cell biological knowledge has bumped the interest in using cell-based therapeutic approaches as well as cell-based model systems for the treatment of diseases. Given the rapid translation towards cell-based clinical treatments and the consequent increasing demand of cell sources, three-dimensional (3D) suspension cultures have demonstrated to be an advantageous alternative to monolayer techniques for large scale expansion of cells and for the generation of three-dimensional model systems in a scale-up perspective. In this scenario, a versatile bioreactor platform suitable for 3D dynamic suspension cell culture under tuneable shear stress conditions is developed and preliminarily tested in two different biotechnological applications. By adopting simple technological solutions and avoiding rotating components, the bioreactor exploits a laminar hydrodynamics, enabling dynamic cell suspension in an environment favourable to mass transport. Technically, the bioreactor is conceived to produce dynamic suspension cell culture under tuneable shear stress conditions without the use of moving components (from ultralow to moderate shear stress). A multiphysics computational modelling strategy is applied for the development and optimization of the suspension bioreactor platform. The in silico modelling is used to support the design and optimization phase of the bioreactor platform, providing a comprehensive analysis of its operating principles, also supporting the development/optimization of culture protocols directly in silico, and thus minimizing preliminary laboratory tests. After the technical assessment of the functionality of the device and a massive number of in silico simulations for its characterization, the bioreactor platform has been employed for two preliminary experimental applications, in order to determine the suitability of the device for culturing human cells under dynamic suspension. In detail, the bioreactor platform has been used to culture lung cancer cells for spheroid formation (Calu-3 cell line) under ultralow shear stress conditions, and for human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) dynamic suspension culture. The use of the bioreactor platform for the formation of cancer cell spheroids under low shear stress conditions confirms the suitability of the device for its use as dynamic suspension bioreactor. In fact, compared to static cell suspension, after 5 days of dynamic suspension culture the bioreactor platform preserves morphological features, promotes intercellular connection, increases the number of cycling cells, and reduces double strand DNA damage. Calu-3 cells form functional 3D spheroids characterized by more functional adherence junctions between cells. Moreover, the computational model has been used as a tool for assisting the setup of the experimental framework with the extraction of the fluid dynamic features establishing inside the bioreactor culture chamber. As second proof of concept application, the bioreactor platform has been tested for the dynamic suspension of hiPSCs. Starting from the ‘a priori’ knowledge gained by the development of the in silico culture protocol, the agglomeration of human induced pluripotent stem cells has been modulated by means of the combination of moderate intermittent shear stress and free-fall transport within the bioreactor culture chamber. The inoculation of single cells suspensions inside the bioreactor chamber promotes cell-cell interaction and consequently the formation of human induced pluripotent stem cell aggregates. In conclusion, the impeller-free functioning principle characterizing the proposed bioreactor platform demonstrates to be promising for human cell dynamic suspension culture. In the future, this bioreactor platform will be further optimized for the realization of impeller-free dynamic suspension bioreactors dedicated and optimized to specific applications in stem cell and cancer cell culture.