Duet Pump provides flexible flow rate support for all of the FiberCell® Systems hollow fiber bioreactor cartridges. Continuous flow is required to provide for nutrition support and constant oxygenation of the culture modules. The Duet utilizes a unique positive pressure displacement pumping action on the pump tubing of the flow path. Squeezing of the tubing in conjunction with the two one-way check valves produces a frictionless pumping action. Peristaltic pumps rub on the tubing causing pieces of the tubing to break off and move into circulation where they can cause blockage of the fibers. This frictionless mechanism is the reason that FiberCell® Systems modules have supported continuous culture of cells up to 2 years of continuous culture.
Small Cartridge
Cat# C2025 0.1 µm pore size for the highest exchange rates. Activated fiber for attachment of matrix proteins, cytokines and antibodies. Ideal fiber for endothelial cell and hepatocyte culture.
Medium Cartridge
Cat# C2008 Low MWCO (5 kd @ 50%) hydrophilic fiber for trapping smaller molecules. Suggested for recombinant proteins between 25 kd and 100 kd. Appropriate for suspension cell lines including CHO, HeLa and 293. Can support up to 109 cells and produce 100 µg/mL or more of recombinant protein in 20 mL ECS.
Cat# C2011 High MWCO (20 kd @ 50%) hydrophilic fiber for trapping larger recombinant proteins (120 kd on up depending upon glycosylation) hybridoma culture and lymphocyte culture. 20 kd MWCO allows TGF beta and TNF alpha to diffuse away while retaining antibodies. Can support up to 109 cells and produce 1-20 mg of a recombinant protein or 5-100 mg of monoclonal antibody every two days.
Cat# C5011 The scale-up of antibody production has just been made easier. The C5011 cartridge can be managed in the same manner as the C2011 but with 2X greater productivity and twice the antibody concentration. The C5011 is the same cartridge as the C2011 but with more than twice the oxygenation capacity.
Large Cartridge
Cat# C2003 Low MWCO (5 kd @ 50%) hydrophilic fiber for trapping smaller molecules. Suggested for recombinant proteins between 25 kd - 100 kd.
Cat# C2018 High MWCO (20 kd @ 50%) hydrophilic fiber for trapping larger molecules, hybridoma and lymphocyte cultures. 20 kd MWCO allows TGF beta and TNF alpha to diffuse. Can support up to 1011 cells and produce 75-150 mg every two days. Appropriate for adherent suspension cell lines including CHO, HeLa and 293 cells. Can support up to 1011 cells and produce 100 µg/mL/day of recombinant protein in 70 mL ECS.
X-Large Cartridge
Cat# C4005 The C4005 cartridge is intended for use in larger hollow fiber cell culture systems from other manufacturers and does not include a flow path stand or oxygenator tubing. Side ports have 3" of tubing capped with luer fittings, end ports are 3/8" hose barbs. High gross filtration rate and polysulfone fiber are superior to cellulose acetate for recombinant protein production.
Cat# C4020 The C4020 cartridge is intended for use in larger hollow fiber cell culture systems from other manufacturers and does not include a flow path stand or oxygenator tubing. Side ports have 3" of tubing capped with luer fittings, end ports are 3/8" hose barbs with tubing and standard luer connectors on the ends. High gross filtration rate and polysulfone fiber are superior to cellulose acetate for recombinant protein and monoclonal antibody production.
Specifications:
| Catalog No | Size | Surface Area | Fiber Type | Packing Density | ECS Vol | MWCO 50% | Max. Cell# |
| C2025 | Small | 75 cm2 | Activated PS | 30% | 2.5 mL | 0.1 µm | 108 |
| C2008 | Medium | 3000 cm2 | Low flux PS | 50% | 20 mL | 5 kd | 109 |
| C2011 | Medium | 3000 cm2 | high flux PS | 50% | 20 mL | 20 kd | 109 |
| C2003 | Large | 1.2 m2 | low flux PS | 50% | 70 mL | 5 kd | 5 x 1010 |
| C2018 | Large | 1.2 m2 | high flux PS | 50% | 70 mL | 20 kd | 5 x 1010 |
| C4005 | X-Large | 2.5 m2 | low flux PS | 50% | 150 mL | 5 kd | 1011 |
| C3008 | Medium | 2000 cm2 | Cellulosic | 38% | 12 mL | 10 kd | 109 |
| C4020 | X-Large | 2.5 m2 | high flux PS | 50% | 150ml | 20 kd | 1011 |
| C5011 | Medium | 3000 cm2 | high flux PS | 50% | 20ml | 20 kd | 2 x 109 |
| Oxy0.6 | 80mls | 6000 cm2 | Hydrophobic Polyethylene | N/A | 40 mL | 100 kd | N/A |
FiberCell® Systems Cartridges (except X-Large) are supplied assembled with the flow path ready to use. They are pre-sterilized and double bagged with instructions provided.
Cartridge selection guide
A cartridge should be selected based on the intended application. FiberCell® Systems offers three types of fibers: polysulfone, cellulosic and PS+ fibers. We also offer three different molecular weight cut-offs (MWCO): 5 kd, 20 kd, and .1 micron.
The hydrophilic polysulfone fiber is specifically selected for good cell culture performance. Both the 5 kd MWCO and 20 kd MWCO fibers have ten times the gross filtration rate of the equivalent cellulosic fiber for rapid nutrient and waste exchange. This is seen as better cell growth and higher fidelity of protein production not seen in cellulosic fibers. Any cell type that will attach to plastic or grow in suspension culture should grow well in the polysulfone cartridge.
One unique feature of the FiberCell® Systems hollow fiber bioreactor is that the fibers are cast with little "waves", resulting in an even distribution of the fiber bundle within the cartridge shell. The FiberCell® Systems hollow fiber bioreactors are the first bioreactors that are optimized for both adherent and suspension cells. The cellulosic fibers are generally not intended for use in cell culture, as their low gross filtration rate is not optimal for cell growth. They have specific applications for in vitro toxicology.
As a general rule the cartridge used will depend upon the size of the secreted product you wish to collect and the amount you wish to collect. FiberCell® Systems cartridges are powerful cell culture tools and their small size can be misleading. The medium sized C2011 with a surface area of 3,000 cm2 and a volume of only 20 mL has been shown to out-produce a 10 liter bag type bioreactor by a significant degree. The larger cartridges should only be used when 500 mg or more of a recombinant protein is desired.
At FiberCell® Systems, we define our molecular weight cut offs at the 50% retention mark as a convention. We also speak of the "useful retention" meaning the size of protein that will be retained by 90% or more. This depends upon the size, shape, post-translational modifications and stokes radius of the protein, not just the molecular weight. For the 5 Kd MWCO fiber we define the useful retention as 20 kd. It should be used for proteins in the range of 20 kd on up to about 140 kd. For larger proteins, the 20 kd MWCO fiber should be used. Since the gross filtration rate is so high there is no penalty (such as the requirement to feed the ECS) with using the 5 kd MWCO fiber though there may be a slight improvement in productivity when using the 20 kd fiber. Please see the recombinant protein section for more information.
For monoclonal antibody production the 20 kd MWCO fiber should be used to allow TGF beta to diffuse out while retaining the antibody within the small volume of the ECS. The scale-up option here is the C5011 which is optimized for hybridoma culture. Please see the monoclonal antibody section for more information.
