3D Culture and Co-Cultivation - FiberCell Systems

Recapitulate in-vivo 3D culture environment in your laboratory

3D cell culture in a hollow fiber bioreactor is the most in-vivo-like way of culturing cells in a biological research laboratory. When looking to create a research model it is important to look at the in-vivo process and recapitulate it as closely as possible.

The variables to consider are: 1) physical shear; 2) matrix composition; 3) other cell types; 4) gas concentration; 5) nutrient composition; 6) cytokine effects. All of these factors and more can go into the particular cellular microenvironment.

One particular advantage of hollow fiber bioreactors is that cell density is such that the cells themselves can define the microenvironment. HFBRs allow you to culture two different cell types, at high enough densities, and for long enough periods of time to observe their effects on one another. The medium-sized cartridge offers 3,000 cm² of surface area, equivalent to 40 T-75 flasks, and can support up to 2×10⁹ cells.

Advantages to 3-D culture using hollow fiber

Reduction in apoptosis (Weeraphan, et al, 2012)
Consistency of culture over long periods of time (Pavlakis, 2013)
More in vivo-like growth conditions resulting in improved cell function (Bennet et al, 2007)
Facilitation of the use of serum-free, protein-free and chemically defined media formulations (Whitford and Cadwell, 2011)

Learn more in detail about our hollow fiber technology and click here for more information on 3D cell culture.

HFBRs offer a unique opportunity to recapitulate the in-vivo 3D culture environment in your laboratory.

In many ways, the hollow fiber bioreactor may be considered the original 3-dimensional cell culture system.
It is one of the few ways to get two different cell types, at high enough densities, and for long enough periods of time to observe their effects on one another.

Microenvironment_generated_by_cell_autocrine_factors

Microenvironment generated by cell’s autocrine factors

Creating your best model for cell co-cultivation using HFBRs

To develop your best model, you need to recapitulate the in-vivo environment and then create your model accordingly. There is no standard cartridge or model that you must follow for cell co-cultivation.

If cell-to-cell communication is important: C2008 5 kD MWCO cartridge.

If particular matrix proteins are important: C2025 PVDF or C2008 and C2011 cartridge.
This will allow the binding of specific cytokines or matrix proteins. PS fibers bind matrix to a slightly lower degree than PVDF.

If the presence of endothelial cells under shear is important: C2025 PVDF cartridge.

Examples of models that require cell co-cultivation

Blood-brain barrier model
Cancer metastasis model
Bone marrow model
Placenta co-culture model
Gastric epithelium model for cryptosporidium culture
Antiviral pharmacokinetics
Parasite culture

Cardiac spheroids growing in 3-dimensions in hollow fiber bioreactor.

Parasitic Culture

An important research for malaria vaccine production is the Eappen sporozyte nature paper that employs cell co-culture. Click here to read out more about how this model plays a role in the development of the vaccine.

The Cryptosporidium paper is also a significant research on parasite culture. Click here to access the paper.

Suggested Ordering for 3D Cell Culture

Please contact FiberCell Systems directly, via info@www.fibercellsystems.com or call us at 301-471-1269.

Click here for our US list pricing for 2023. We offer tiered discounted pricing for quantity purchases of our products, 10-25 units, 25+ units, and 50+ units. Please enquire for details. We recommend the most appropriate products for your applications so please feel free to email or phone us to discuss your application and provide you with a quote at info@fibercellsystems.com, 301-471-1269, 240-440-2662. We can accept credit cards and purchase orders from accredited institutions.

1. Generation of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Precursors in a 3D Hollow Fiber Placenta Co-Culture Model

Data and observations indicate that a mixed cell population derived from a human placenta, when seeded into a hollow fiber bioreactor, remains viable for several months, spontaneously forms 3-dimensional nodular structures, and continuously generates suspension cells of non-defined phenotype that subsequently show MSC phenotype and proliferation when seeded into 2D cell culture flasks. Read paper here.

2. Co-Culture of Stromal and Erythroleukemia Cells in a Perfused Hollow Fiber Bioreactor System

Development of a hematopoietic co-culture system using the hollow fiber bioreactor (HFBR) as a potential in vitro bone marrow model for evaluating leukemia. Supporting stroma using HS-5 cells was established in HFBR system and the current bioprocess configuration yielded an average glucose consumption of 640 mg/day and an average protein concentration of 6.40 mg/mL in the extracapillary space over 28 days. Read paper here

3. Three‐dimensional cell‐based assays in hollow fibre bioreactors

Richard Knazek was searching for a way to culture adrenal tumour cells under in vivo‐like conditions to study hormone secretion in response to drug stimuli. Hollow fibre bioreactors offer a method by which cells can be cultured at tissue‐like densities over long periods of time. Hollow fibres act as ‘artificial capillaries’ and act much as capillaries do in the human body. Read paper here

4. Cryptosporidium culture

The FiberCell hollow fiber system has been used to construct a long-term human gut model with these features. Read paper here

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For detailed information on cell co-cultivation using HFBRs in your laboratory, contact us or request for a quote.