Cell Culture Media Filtration: Evaluating Cell Culture Performance

Sterilizing-grade filtration is a critical step in upstream bioprocessing, but its impact on cell culture performance must be carefully evaluated. This application note investigates how different membrane filters—polyethersulfone (PES) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)—affect the growth and viability of CHOZN® GS cells in EX-CELL® Advanced CHO Fed-batch medium. Using spin tube bioreactors and both low and high filtration throughput conditions, researchers found no significant differences in cell density or viability across filter types or pore sizes (0.1 µm and 0.2 µm). These findings support the use of PES filters as viable alternatives to traditional PVDF membranes. For teams optimizing upstream processes, this data-driven approach offers a practical framework for filter selection.

Explore the full application note to see how worst-case testing conditions can inform robust process design.