Three-dimensional mammalian cell growth on nonwoven polyester fabric disks

Small disks of nonwoven polyester fabric (NWPF), similar to Fibra-Cel carriers, were surface treated with strong acid and used as a high surface area support matrix for in vitro culture of anchorage dependent MRC-5 cells. The disks can be autoclaved, and require inocula concentrations of only 2-5% of the final cell densities, which have reached 10(8) cells/mL of disk bed volume. Scanning electron microscopy photographs shown herein reveal that cells grow in a multilayered fashion between the randomly arrayed fibers of the nonwoven fabric, emulating in vivo growth.