Abstract: An apparatus for the in vitro culture of animal cells to recover secreted proteins of interest therefrom, affording the capability of being readily and predictably scaled up or down to desired protein production rates, comprised of a housed arrangement of culture subunits containing a packed bed of carrier particles, each subunit being fed in parallel from a common culture medium source, and the spent culture fluid from each subunit being directed to a common spent fluid conduit within the housed arrangement. Scale-up or scale-down is effected by addition or subtraction of culture subunits and/or by increase or decrease in carrier particle volume within a subunit while maintaining substantially constant packed bed height.

Abstract: A method of using an apparatus for the in vitro cultrue of animal cells to recover secreted proteins of interest therefrom, affording the capability of being readily and predictably scaled up or down to desired protein productin rates, comprised of a housed arrangement of culture subunits containing a packed bed of carrier particles, each subunit being fed in parallel from a common culture medium source, and the spent culture fluid from each subunit being directed to a common spent fluid conduit within the housed arrangement. Scale-up or scale-down is effected by addition or subtraction of culture subunits and/or by increase or decrease in carrier particle volume within a subunit while maintaining substantially constant packed bed height.

Abstract: A spin filter for removing substantially cell-free medium from a stirred suspension culture vessel, wherein a stationary baffle is arranged in the interior space of the spin filter to disrupt liquid flow therein and minimize the tendency of cells to collect on and foul the inner-facing filter surfaces, the filter surface being sized to substantially exclude materials greater than about 8 to 10 microns, and the spin filter being rotatable independent of, and in a rotational direction opposite to, the vessel stirring device.

Abstract: A static oxygenator for oxygenating a liquid, particularly a suspension culture of animal cells in a liquid culture medium, comprised of a bottom gassing portion comprised of generally concentric vertically oriented hollow cylinders of porous gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable material, and an upper degassing section comprised of vertical extensions of the concentric cylinders such that at least one liquid overflow weir is provided at the juncture between the bottom and upper sections. Gas directed into the bottom of the annular space between the concentric cylinders rises therein and, across the porous material, oxygenates liquid in contact therewith or in proximity thereto up to the point where the liquid overflows the weir, and the gas then continues up the annular space in the vertical extensions for degassing through the porous material above the liquid level.