C3A cells proliferate to fill the entire extracapillary space of the device. High Levels of Metabolic Activity. Performance of the C3A bioreactor system is extremely high relative to that of most high-density cell cultures. Composed of liver cells, C3A is highly aerobic and metabolizes substrates efficiently. It has also been selected for strong contact inhibition.
Cultures never overgrow their feed source and can be maintained indefinitely.
The environment in a hollow-fiber bioreactor is substantially different from that of a standard T flask. The nutrient environment is much richer, with better oxygen delivery and constant input of fresh cell culture medium. Cells are at a very high density and form three-dimensional structures, similar to those of tissues. The synthesis of serum proteins is a hallmark of the liver-specific phenotype, and C3A synthesizes a wide variety of these proteins. The cells synthesize an extraordinary amount of protein per day.