Acoustic separation of cellular supporting materials from cultured cells

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for acoustic separation of cellular supporting materials such as microcarriers or microbubbles from cell culture are provided. In one aspect, a method includes flowing a fluid containing the cellular supporting material and the cells through a flow chamber; driving at least one acoustic transducer to launch an acoustic wave from the acoustic transducer positioned on a first wall of the flow chamber to a reflector positioned on a second wall of the flow chamber to create, in the flow chamber, a multi-dimensional field that includes first spatial locales where acoustic pressure amplitude is elevated from a baseline level when the acoustic transducer is turned off, and second spatial locales where acoustic pressure amplitude is substantially identical to the baseline level when the acoustic transducer is turned off, wherein the first wall is opposite to the second wall; preferentially trapping, and gravity separating, the cellular supporting material or the cells at the first or second spatial locales inside the flow chamber; and collecting cells separated from the cellular supporting material using a first collection duct coupled to the flow chamber.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A system for separating cellular supporting material from cells cultured on the cellular material, the system comprising:
 a flow chamber configured to accept a fluid containing the cellular supporting material and the cells;   at least one acoustic transducer positioned on a first wall of the flow chamber and configured to launch an acoustic wave when driven by an input electrical signal;   at least one reflector positioned on a second wall of the flow chamber, the second wall opposite to the first wall, the reflector configured to reflect the acoustic wave such that multi-dimensional field that includes first spatial locales where acoustic pressure amplitude is elevated from a baseline level when the acoustic transducer is turned off, and second spatial locales where acoustic pressure amplitude is substantially identical to the baseline level when the acoustic transducer is turned off;   a first collection duct coupled to the flow chamber and configured to collect cells separated from the cellular supporting material after at least a portion of either the cellular supporting material or the cells have been trapped at the first or second spatial locales, both spatial locales having been created inside the flow chamber.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising: multiple trapping lines inside the flow chamber, each trapping line preferentially trapping the cellular supporting material or the cells in a direction at least partially perpendicular to a flow direction of the fluid flowing through the flow chamber.