The biochip. A new membrane bioreactor system for the cultivation of animal cells in defined tissue-like cell densities.

Based on the laminar structure of the human liver tissue, a high cell density membrane bioreactor was developed that emulates a cell layer thickness of 40 microns. The "biochip" consists of a platinum-coated metal cell grid covered with two microfiltration membranes to form separate cell chambers of defined volume. Starting with a continuous chemostat process, the viability of a model suspension cell culture could be stabilized at 98%. In a second step these cells were transferred into the biochip system and were cultivated successfully for several days under tissue-like cell densities in a modified membrane holder under cross-flow conditions.