Patent ID: 11926810
Assignee: 3D BIOTEK, LLC
Field: Biotechnology (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 15:
16. A method of culturing cells, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a bioreactor, said bioreactor comprising:
a reservoir container for holding a liquid medium;
a manifold assembly, said manifold assembly comprising an upper manifold and a lower manifold, said lower manifold having a lower end extending into said reservoir container;
a holder, said holder being contained within said manifold assembly, said holder holding a plurality of fiber assemblies that are suitable for cells to grow on; and
a circulation system for causing the liquid medium to flow through said lower manifold and said fiber assemblies and said upper manifold;

seeding cells onto said fiber assemblies;
operating said circulation system under conditions appropriate for the cells to multiply into a plurality of cultured cells;
wherein said upper end of said duct comprises an overflow wall surrounded on its outside by a moat, a bottom of said moat being at a lower elevation than said top of said overflow wall, said upper end of said duct and said moat being in contact with a pocket region, said pocket region being bounded by a structure that is connected to said duct, said pocket region being isolated from fluid communication with an exterior of said pocket region;
wherein when said circulation system is operating, said liquid medium flows over said overflow wall within said pocket region and said liquid medium is in contact with gas that is contained in said pocket region, and said liquid medium overflows into said moat and is removed from said moat by said circulation system; and
harvesting the cultured cells from said bioreactor.