DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF LIQUID MEMBRANE EMULSIONS IN CELL CULTURE

THE IMPORTANCE OF CELL CULTURE IS CLEARLY INDICATED AS NEW PRODUCTS DERIVED FROM MAMMALIAN CELLS ARE INTRODUCED AND THEGROWING MARKET SIZES OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE REALIZED. IN ABSENCE OF RIGID CELL WALLS, ANIMAL CELLS CAN ONLY BE CULTIVATED IN LOW-SHEAR ENVIRONMENTS. THIS PRESENTS A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO PH CONTROL IN CELL CULTURES OF HIGH CELL CONCENTRATIONS. LACTIC ACID, A PRODUCT OF GLYCOLYSIS OF CARBOHYDRATES, IS MAINLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM. IN PERFUSION CULTURE SYSTEMS, CONCENTRATIONS OF LACTIC ACID AND OTHER TOXINS OR INHIBITORS CAN BE KEPT AT ACCEPTABLY LOW LEVELS. THIS, HOWEVER, IS NOT EFFICIENT SINCE NUTRIENTS, ESPECIALLY THE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SERUM COMPONENTS, USUALLY ARE NOT DEPLETED. THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO DEVELOP STABLE LIQUID MEMBRANE EMULSIONS (LMES) WHICH CAN BE APPLIED TO CELL CULTURE FOR INSITU PH CONTROL, LACTIC ACID AND OTHER TOXIC OR INHIBITORY MATERIAL REMOVAL, AND SLOW NUTRIENT RELEASE TO CELLS. FORMATION OF W/O/W LMES WILL BE STUDIED BY THREE DIFFERENT APPROACHES: EMULSIFICATION, OIL-PHASE GELATION OR CROSSLINKING, AND ENCAPSULATION BY COATING AROUND EXTERNAL/MEMBRANE PHASE INTERFACE. APPLICATION OF LMES WILL LEAD TO MORE EFFICIENT CELL CULTURES WITH HIGH CELL CONCENTRATIONS.