The Essential Role of Microcarriers in Large-Scale Bioreactor Culture: Utilizing Small Particles to Provide a High Surface Area for Adherent Cell Growth and Stem Cell Expansion in Biomanufacturing and Tissue Engineering
Microcarriers are small, specialized particles that create a three-dimensional scaffolding structure for anchorage-dependent cells to attach and proliferate in large-scale suspension bioreactors. They effectively solve the challenge of surface area limitation, which is vital for achieving the high cell densities required for the industrial production of viral vaccines, therapeutic proteins, and cell therapies.
Materials for microcarriers range from synthetic polymers like polystyrene to natural ones like gelatin, often tailored with specific surface coatings to optimize cell adhesion and expansion. This scalable technology is essential for generating sufficient cell numbers, such as human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), while maintaining their correct phenotype for advanced applications in regenerative medicine.