Corning® CellCube® Culture System Cell Expansion

The Corning CellCube system provides a simple, compact, and scalable method for mass culture of attachment-dependent cells. The CellCube modules provide a large, stable surface area for the immobilization and growth of attachment-dependent cells. Each CellCube module consists of a series of parallel, polystyrene plates joined to create thin, sealed laminar flow spaces between adjacent plates. CellCube modules are available in three basic sizes: 10- and 25-layer modules comprised of 10 and 25 culture plates, respectively, and a 100-layer module made up of four 25-layer modules in parallel. All three sizes are available with tissue culture treatment, and the 25- and 100-layer modules are also available with Corning CellBIND® surface treatment.

The basic closed system is configured with a peristaltic pump to drive continuous circulation through the CellCube module and is paired with a bioreactor and bioreactor controller for medium conditioning. As gas-conditioned culture medium is circulated through the CellCube system, the design of the modules allows for reliable distribution of nutrients and oxygen with low differential gradients across all cells within the modules.

The current protocol was developed for HEK293T and Vero cell expansion using a Corning® CellCube® 100-layer module (Corning Cat. No. 3233) with the Eppendorf BioFlo® 120 (controller) (Eppendorf Cat. No. B120ACS000) and BioBLU® 3c single-use bioreactor (SUB) (Eppendorf Cat. No. 1386000300) to adequately control medium conditioning. However, CellCube modules are to be handled in the same manner regardless of the bioreactor or controller used for medium conditioning. Moreover, the general process is applicable to most cell types. Medium formulation and conditioning parameters, process timing, and culture volume should be determined empirically for each cell type and application.