An integration of cultivation and purification in membrane bioreactors: production of monoclonal antibodies and lymphokines by microencapsulated hybridomas.

Engineering and physiologic aspects of growth and production processes associated with encapsulated cells, mostly of anchorage-independent type, are reviewed. They include membrane diffusion characterization, mechanical properties of microcapsules, process limiting phenomena, physiological state of cells, process modeling and product purity and concentration. Finally, application areas are spelled out with an outlook discussion.