Bioreactor system

Abstract

Disclosed herein are bioreactor systems and methods of utilizing said systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bioreactor system for 3D passaging of cells, comprising:
 at least one cell module defining a first cell culture chamber, an inlet, an outlet, and a port opening, wherein the port opening is on one end of the cell culture chamber; and   a material composition comprising two or more materials, wherein the two or more materials comprises a stiff culture material and a soft culture material that is introduced thereon to the stiff culture material, and wherein the material composition is loaded therein the at least one cell module.   
     
     
         2 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the stiff culture material has a porosity between 50 μm and 2 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the stiff culture material is made from metal, ceramic, glass, or a synthetic polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the soft culture material comprises a polymer of biological origin, a synthetic polymer, or both. 
     
     
         5 . The bioreactor system of  claim 4 , wherein the soft culture material is a hydrogel or uncrosslinked oligomers of polymers. 
     
     
         6 . The bioreactor system of  claim 5 , further comprising a cell encapsulated in the hydrogel. 
     
     
         7 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the soft culture material releases from the stiff culture material by chemical degradation, light exposure, change in temperature, change in pH, or exposure to a chemical catalyst. 
     
     
         8 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the stiff culture material is composed of beads or microparticles. 
     
     
         9 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the stiff culture material comprises a porous matrix. 
     
     
         10 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the soft culture material is introduced into or onto the stiff culture material prior to being loaded into the bioreactor system. 
     
     
         11 . The bioreactor system of  claim 10 , wherein a cell is introduced onto the soft culture material and encapsulated in a hydrogel prior to introduction into or onto the stiff culture material. 
     
     
         12 . The bioreactor system of  claim 1 , wherein the soft culture material is introduced into or onto the stiff culture material after being loaded into the bioreactor system. 
     
     
         13 . A method of 3D cell passaging in a bioreactor system, comprising:
 providing a population of cells to be passaged; and   introducing the population of cells into a material composition comprising two or more materials, wherein the two or more materials comprises a stiff culture material and a soft culture material that is introduced thereon to the stiff culture material and to which the cells attach.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cells are introduced into the soft culture material prior to introduction of the soft culture material to the stiff culture material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising causing the soft culture material to disassociate from the stiff culture material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising isolating the cells and soft culture material from the material composition. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising recovering the dissociated cells and dividing the cells into multiple populations. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising introducing one or more divided cells into a second bioreactor system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cells are introduced into the second bioreactor system by introducing the cells into the material composition. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cells are introduced into the second bioreactor system by introducing the cells into a second material composition contained comprising two or more materials, wherein the two or more materials comprises a stiff culture material and a soft culture material that is introduced thereon the stiff culture material to which the cells attach to at least portions of a soft culture material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  or  20 , wherein the cells are introduced into the soft culture material prior to introduction of the soft culture material to the stiff culture material.