Customer Application (system support)
A small core system in a small-scale cell culture facility
Simon
Q.J. Rice
(Gene Expression Protein Biochemistry)
GlaxoSmithKline: www.gsk.com
For many years biomedical research has been dependent on classical cell culture; for example, growing mammalian cells in vitro. The ability to produce consistent cells in the laboratory supported the development of the original biopharmaceuticals such as live viral vaccines and recombinant proteins. With the explosion of new potential drug targets, such as G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs), from genome-derived sequencing projects, cell culture is being used extensively to support the development of second-generation biopharmaceuticals based on exciting new platform technologies that support High Throughput Screening. While there have been significant advances in recent years of equipment to automate large scale cell cultures, their design scope is limiting for their use in smaller scale work. The selection of cell lines expressing a specific drug target, when large numbers of clonal cells are being examined, requires a platform that can handle standard titer plates in a contained environment.
Working with cell cultures at any scale presents challenges to overcome. Variables such as environment, pH, and potential contamination from air-borne contaminants, non-sterile reagents, dirty labware, etc. must be considered. In addition, shear forces when pipetting must be minimized. With limited space and finances, any automation must also have the flexibility to adapt to the different needs of a small-scale cell culture laboratory.
For these challenges, the Biomek® FX is well suited: The Biomek FX can be enclosed in a HEPA-filtered environment. Potential contamination can thus be significantly reduced by strategically placing reagents on the worksurface and the use of pre-sterilized labware, such as barrier tips. The de-lidding capabilities of the instrument and the addition of a incubator, as part of the core system, allows the cells to be maintained in an optimum environment for much of the work, while reducing the length of time they are exposed to potential contaminants. Cell shearing factors can be reduced due to the open architecture of the Biomek FX software, allowing complete control over all pipetting actions. The flexibility of the system is also beneficial, as it offers the opportunity to use the station for other needs, such as 96-well transfections, etc.
The presentation A small core system in a small-scale cell culture facility offers a specific example of how a single-arm Biomek FX, in combination with an ORCA® arm and cell culture incubator, has been successfully used to aid in the generation of a cell line expressing an orphan GPCR. Although it details the whole process, it specifically shows how the small core system has been used in the preparation of daughter plates of cells, assay of cell surface expression, and finally RNA extraction from the cells for quantitative RT-PCR. All of these processes demonstrate how automation can be utilized in cell line generation for fast, reliable, results.
* All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Where applicable, the PCR process is covered by patents owned by Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., and F. Hoffman-LaRoche, Ltd.
