Characterization of cell detachment from hollow fiber affinity membranes

Hollow fiber affinity membranes have potential for use in cell separations because they offer many advantages over currently available techniques. An understanding of the parameters controlling cell attachment and detachment from the surface is vital to the success of the separation. Cell attachment was probed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which revealed that gravity settling must be used to bring the cells to the surface of the membrane, because forward pressurization caused cells to infiltrate the pores of the membranes. Fluorescence microscopy studies showed that viable target cells could be recovered from the surface through the use of either back pressurization or liquid drainage and that 98% of the cells could be recovered from the surface through the sequential use of both. This ability to reproducibly detach target cells from the surface suggests that cell recovery will not be a limiting factor for cell separations with hollow fiber membranes.