Ex Vivo Expansion And Differentiation Of Erythroblasts: From Culture Dishes To Stirred Bioreactors For The Production Of Red Blood Cells

By Gallego Murillo, J.1,2; Bernal, C.3; van Arragon, T.3; van der Wielen, L.1; van den Akker, E.2; von Lindern, M.2; Wahl, A.1

This study focuses on erythroblast differentiation and comparing the performance of two stirred bioreactor types (a conventional glass & stainless steel autoclavable bioreactor, and single-use plastic bioreactors). In addition to proliferation, the differentiation of cultured erythroblast into mature reticulocytes was also tested in the stirred bioreactors.

The results of this study show that the expansion and differentiation of erythroblast cultures is feasible in stirred bioreactors, and indicate that the single-use AppliFlex ST platform is adequate for the transition to GMP production of cRBCs.